Lee-Yardley Day 2025

9/23/2025

Honoring Service, Vision, and Legacy

Each September, Chatham Hall celebrates Lee-Yardley Day—a tradition that recognizes service to our School and honors those whose leadership has helped shape our history. Named in memory of two distinguished Rectors, Dr. Edmund Jennings Lee and Dr. William Woolsey Yardley, the day reflects the spirit of vision, resilience, and devotion that has guided Chatham Hall for generations.

Remembering Dr. Edmund Jennings Lee (1928–1949)

When Dr. Lee arrived in 1928, he was instructed to close the School. Instead, through determination and foresight, he preserved Chatham Hall and led it to national prominence. He expanded Pruden Hall, strengthened academics, and oversaw the construction of Willis Hall (now Lee Library), the Rectory, St. Mary’s Chapel, and new stables that marked the start of our equestrian program. His tenure carried Chatham Hall through the Great Depression and World War II.

Remembering Dr. William Woolsey Yardley (1949–1973)

Chosen by Dr. Lee himself, William Yardley became Chatham Hall’s first Rector and was later ordained an Episcopal priest. Under his leadership, the School expanded housing and facilities, welcomed a broader faculty, and launched its first annual giving program in 1956. While many boarding schools turned to co-education, Dr. Yardley affirmed Chatham Hall’s mission as a school for girls, a decision that preserved our identity and distinction. His tenure also marked a milestone in 1969, when the first African American students enrolled, strengthening our commitment to equity and inclusion.

Honoring Service: The Alice Overbey Award

This year marks the 36th celebration of Lee-Yardley Day. One of the most cherished traditions of this day is the presentation of the Alice Overbey Award, created in memory of a woman whose life embodied service and devotion to Chatham Hall. Since 1988, the Alice Overbey Award has been presented on Lee-Yardley Day to a member of the Chatham Hall community whose dedication exemplifies service and love for the School. Alice Overbey served Chatham Hall for 26 years as Assistant Bursar, Business Manager, and Assistant to the Director of Development. Her devotion was remembered most in her care for people.

This year, the award was presented to The Rev. Becky Crites, or “Mother Becky” as many of our students fondly call her. Becky’s faithful leadership and presence have deeply touched the Chatham Hall community, and we are honored to recognize her contributions.

Carrying the Legacy Forward

Lee-Yardley Day reminds us that Chatham Hall’s strength has always come from the service, vision, and devotion of those who love it. As we celebrate this tradition, we look back with gratitude—and forward with the charge to continue building on the legacy of those who came before us.

About Mother Becky

Becky is a native of Virginia and was ordained in the Diocese of Southern Virginia. She holds a Master of Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary and a certification in Spiritual Direction from Southern Methodist University. Her gifts for ecumenical and interfaith work have been recognized by the wider church, where she served as the Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer for the Diocese of Southern Virginia. In that role, she worked closely with the Virginia Council of Churches and with LARCUM—the partnership among Lutherans, Anglicans, Roman Catholics, and United Methodists.

Early in her ministry, Becky was formed and nurtured by the faithful people of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Glasgow, Virginia, and St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Bedford. There, she came to know the beauty of servant ministry—one that is deeply rooted in both the life of the church and the life of the community. In 2014, she was called into interim ministry, serving congregations in Danville, Virginia, and Burlington, North Carolina. Since 2018, she has dedicated her heart and gifts to Emmanuel Church and Chatham Hall, where her presence has been a blessing to both communities.

Becky is also a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She and her husband, Jim, who worked in semiconductor engineering for many years, cherish the gifts of three children and six grandchildren.