Bemis, Mildred Bolt

Mildred Bolt (Millie) Bemis, died on February 14, 2013. She grew up in Dublin, and moved to Northern Virginia in the early 1960s. Millie is survived by her children, Wendell Steven Whetzel, of Rockledge, Fla., and Michele S. Whetzel of Falls Church. She is also survived by her sister, Marie Bolt Bailey and husband, Don Bailey, of New Bern N.C.; brother, Carl Bolt and wife, Charlene Bolt, of Charlotte, N.C.; and sister-in-law, Mable Anne Bolt, of Dublin.

Mildred graduated from Dublin High School, class of 1954. In 1958, she graduated from Radford University with a B.S. degree in education and two minor degrees in chemistry and general science. She also received her Master Of Education from the University of Virginia, majoring in Public School Administration. Mildred’s first teaching job was at Narrows High School in Giles County, from 1958 to 1959, where she taught home economics and physical education. She taught fifth grade from 1963 to 1965 at Mountain View Elementary in Roanoke County.

Mildred moved to Northern Virginia and started teaching at Taft Junior High in Washington, D.C., where she taught science and home economics. Mildred taught at Taft Junior High from 1965 to 1970. She was teaching in Washington D.C. during the riots of 1968. The schools sent the students home but the teachers had to stay. A group of African American boy students came to her classroom and wouldn’t leave until they knew she was safely in her car. What she didn’t know until she arrived to her car was that more students were also protecting her car from being vandalized. Many vehicles were damaged during the riots in Washington, D.C.

Mildred starting teaching at Key Intermediate in Fairfax County in 1970. She taught home economics, and made many life long friends from the school. She retired from Chantilly High School in Fairfax County as a chemistry teacher.

Mildred married her second husband, Stephen Bemis, in 1972. They were married until Steve’s death in March of 1985. They were extremely happy and had bought their dream home less then two years before his car accident. Millie traveled the world and has been to 6 of the 7 continents. Millie would tell you she enjoyed her life, that she did everything she ever wanted to do and went every where she ever wanted to go.

Please make donations to Mildred’s favorite Charities: Dublin High School Alumni Scholarship Fund, New River Community College Education Foundation, c/o Brenda Harrell Jones, P.O. Box 881, Dublin, VA 24084, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.