Myrtle L. Vinson

Myrtle Lauraetta Vinson was born in Coatesville, Pennsylvania to the late Carrie E. Chappelle and Russell Miles on September 4, 1929.

Myrtle began her formal education in Coatesville and eventually graduated from the historic Armstrong Technical High School in Washington, DC, specifically created at the time to advance the progress of blacks in the city. There she focused on clerical, writing and administrative skills that carried her well throughout her career.

For close to 40 years, she was employed first with the Federal government, then the government of the District of Columbia, retiring in 1990 from a supervisory position in the Department of Human Resources. Not long after what would come to be her “first retirement,” she had a 17-year stint at the United Planning Organization (UPO), with a number of administrative duties especially the Call-N-Ride for Seniors Program. She continued her work with the Call-N-Ride Program at her next employment experience with the Barney Neighborhood House. She was there for 4 years. Her last job before her final retirement was a Program Coordinator at Seabury Resources for Aging. During this stint, she had the opportunity to work at the same facility where her now-deceased mother, Carrie Chappelle, was being cared for. She finally joined the ranks of fully-retired citizens in 2019.

On, February 14, 1948, Myrtle married Edgar T. Vinson, Jr. From that union two children were born, Pamela L. Sinclair and Eric T. Vinson, Sr.

Myrtle loved to be out and about whether socializing with friends, enjoying delicious meals, traveling across the country and one of her all-time favorite pass-times, inherited by almost all of her progeny, shopping! She also especially loved her family. From hanging out with her daughter and daughter-in-law, Pam and DeeDee; talking on the phone with her late brother, Andy and his friend, Carolyn; to visits from her nieces, nephews and grandchildren to reveling in and worrying over her new great-great grandson, River!

In the early 1990’s, she began attending services at St. John Freewill Baptist Church later renamed Greater St. John Church and she moved with them from her home neighborhood in the Benning Road NE DC area to Landover, MD and eventually to Upper Marlboro, MD. There she was also joined by several family members including her late sister, Sharon and family. She loved her church and pastor, Bishop Gresham and faithfully attended services until her health and age prevented her. Even then, every Sunday, she listened weekly via phone to the virtual broadcast.

To maintain her staunch independence and provide consistent healthcare, the family finally persuaded her to move into the Sky Bridge Senior Living Community in Prince George’s County, Maryland. There, she came to enjoy her new neighbors and caretakers as well as the daily amenities of musical performances, gaming events and movie nights. After a full day of herdaily activities of balancing her finances, planning personal appointments and speaking with family, Myrtle suddenly departed this life for life everlasting on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.

Myrtle is survived by daughter, Pamela L. Sinclair; daughter-in-law, Dolores C. Vinson; grandchildren, Kimberly Sawyers (Dennis), Eric T. Vinson, Jr., Robert L. Sinclair, Jr. (La Tarcha); great-grandchildren, Roberta Sinclair, Darien Arnold, Diamond Sinclair, Christian Sinclair, JaCari Sinclair, Keila Cline, Keima Cline, Carrington Sawyers, Marcel Sawyers, Gabrielle Sawyers, Grant Vinson, Carlos Hatton; great-great grandchildren, River Casimir, Sarea Arnold and a host of other relatives, friends and neighbors. She was preceded in death by husband, Edgar T. Vinson, Jr.; son, Eric T. Vinson, Sr.; brother, Andrew “Andy” Cassell; sisters, Sharon Cassell and Lillian Mae Mathis and grandson, Derick Vinson.

We’ll not only cherish her memory but find great comfort and joy remembering some of her favorite sayings and spirited phrases such as “What do you mean!” “Thus and so!,” and “ And all like that!”