Samuel (Sam) and Anne (Nancy) Cardwell

Sam and Nancy Cardwell (nee Thomas) met when enrolled in a master’s degree program in economics at The University of Virginia.  Nancy was from Philadelphia and had graduated from Wilson College with a major in economics, while Sam grew up two miles down the road from Westminster Canterbury and had graduated from the University of Richmond, where he majored in business administration. 

Nancy's real name is Anne, but her parents used Nancy as a nickname, so Nancy it is.  In fact, nobody knows her as Anne, which has confused many people over the years, including Sam, who thought she was lying to him when they first met.  

But romance prevailed and Sam and Nancy have been married for 65 years.  They have two children and one grandchild.  Daughter Betsy lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and son Tom resides in Leesburg, Virginia. 

Sam, after completing his studies at UVA, served in the United States Army for three years with an assignment to an army intelligence unit in Japan. During this time, Nancy held a position at the United States Army Far East headquarters near Tokyo.  

Out of the Army and back in the States, Sam worked briefly for a brokerage firm in New York City.  In 1959, not liking life in a big city, he secured employment with First National Bank in Lynchburg, a job that launched his career as a bank executive. Over the next 31 years, Sam regularly received promotions as the bank experienced mergers and name changes, finally becoming SunTrust.   A transfer for Sam, caused the Cardwells to move to Richmond in 1984.  Sam retired in 1990 and one year later they moved back to Lynchburg. 

During the first round of living in Lynchburg, Nancy worked in the president’s office at Lynchburg College, followed by the dean’s office at Randolph- Macon Woman’s College.  In both Lynchburg and Richmond, she served as a volunteer in a number of activities sponsored by civic organizations and her church. Nancy enjoys playing bridge, gardening, and golf.  Sam has also been active in a variety of community organizations.  His hobbies include gardening, golf and just generally hanging out with friends and family.