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Lavonya Kelley Chapman, a resident of Sarasota, Florida, formerly of Troy and Birmingham, Alabama, went home to be with her Lord on January 8, 2022, after a brief illness.

Mrs. Chapman was born to Sara Southerland Kelley and Roscoe Douglas Kelley of Troy, Alabama, on December 16, 1952, the second of four siblings. She was preceded in death by her parents.  She was a 1971 graduate of Charles Henderson High School, Troy, Alabama, later earning her BSN degree in Nursing, magna cum laude, at Samford University in Birmingham, with memberships in Phi Kappa Phi, Pi Gamma Mu, and Sigma Theta Tau, honoraries.

While earning her J.D. in Law from Birmingham School of Law, she continued to work full time and completed her degree in record time graduating magna cum laude.  She was a member of Sigma Delta Kappa honor society. Lavonya was licensed to practice law in Alabama and Florida.

She was currently serving as Associate General Counsel for Optum Settlement Solutions in Tampa/Saint Petersburg, Florida.

Her vast experience included Medicare Secondary Payer Compliance Counsel, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Director of Claims/Litigation at Arthur J Gallagher Risk Management Services (formerly Robinson Adams Insurance) a consultant for Kelley and Associates LLC. She served as an attorney with Gaines, Wolter and Kinney, PC, and McFerrin and Associates, Birmingham, Alabama. She worked for the Alabama Hospital Association in Birmingham as a consultant and utilization reviewer, served as an emergency and trauma nurse at Level 1 Trauma Centers-University of Alabama, Birmingham and Carraway Hospitals, and was an instructor in the School of Community and Allied Health, University of Alabama, Birmingham.

Lavonya was one of a kind.  Transcribing all notes for her husband when he was a resident at the Mayo Clinic was typical of her desire to encourage others to achieve their highest potential. She was an excellent teacher, but she was also a wonderful and loyal friend to those who knew her.  She was a faithful mom and the best grandmother around! God gave her the desire, after having been in the medical field for so long, to be an advocate for those in the health care industry.

The desire of her heart was to know that her children loved the Lord Jesus and are walking in Truth, knowing she would see them again.

She is survived by a daughter, Kelley Chapman Larkin (Luke); four grandchildren: Kathryn Carter Larkin, William Chapman Larkin, Hudson Kevin Larkin, and Isaiah Lucas Larkin; 3 siblings: Roscoe Douglas Kelley, Jr. (Dee), Olivia Kelley Owen (Dave), Benjamin Southerland Kelley (Hannah); her best friend and sister in Christ, Martha McLaurine Bickford, and many loved nieces and nephews.

She was an active member of Covenant Life Presbyterian Church, Sarasota.

A memorial service will be held at Covenant Life Presbyterian Church Sunday, January 30th at 2:00 PM, 8490 McIntosh Road, Sarasota, Florida 34238.

A graveside service will be held in Alabama at a future date to be determined. Green Hills Funeral Home in Troy is honored to serve the family. Please visit our website www.greenhillsfuneralhome.net for service information.

Memorials may be made to the building fund at Covenant Life Presbyterian Church, Sarasota, or to Global Serve International: 2102 SW 47th St. Cape Coral, FL 33914.