Paige Lanier Chargois, a Richmond reverend, author and tireless advocate for reconciliation and social change, died July 27 at 81. For decades, her work brought together communities locally and globally, leaving a lasting legacy of mentorship, faith and public service. 

Born July 18, 1944, in Franklin, Virginia, to Earlie and Blanche Lanier, Chargois moved to Richmond around age 4. She became involved early in efforts to desegregate Richmond Public Schools, joining a select group of students prepared to navigate the challenges of integration. 

“I remember teachers just talking about how well they wanted to prepare us,” Chargois recalled in a video for the Together We Rise project. “Teachers all along the way were encouraging us to be a part of the movement, be a part of the community.” 

After graduating from Maggie Walker High School in 1962, Chargois spent a year at Virginia Union University before eventually earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and journalism from Austin Peay State University in 1979. 

Less than a month after graduating, Chargois entered seminary and, over the next four decades, became a religious leader at numerous institutions. She served as chaplain for eight universities, worked as managing editor for the National Baptist Convention’s newspaper and authored several faith-focused books. 

For Stephanie Jacobs, a licensed marriage and family therapist, Chargois was a major part of her faith journey as a mentor during her time at North Carolina Central University. 

They reconnected decades later during the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020 and began weekly virtual meetings in 2021 where Chargois continued her mentorship, the two becoming dear friends. 

“Loved life, loved people, loved service,” Jacobs said of Chargois’ work. 

Chargois was also a force in community activism, serving as national associate director for the racial reconciliation nonprofit Hope In the Cities for over a decade. The group’s accomplishments led Chargois and colleague Rob Corcoran to be selected by former President Bill Clinton for assistance in the “Initiative on Race: One America in 2000.” 

Chargois also helped shape the Richmond Slave Trail Commission, linking the city with Cotonou, Benin, and Liverpool, England, in a “reconciliation triangle” that highlighted their roles in the transatlantic slave trade. 

The installation of a Richmond Slavery Reconciliation Statue on East Main Street in 2007 was one of the major outcomes of Chargois’ efforts, which continued in other forms for years across the globe, touching many lives. 

“I have heard from people across the world — Australia, Africa, Europe and the Americas — expressing gratitude for her life and its impact,” Corcoran said. 

Chargois was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Edith Lanier. A funeral service will be held Saturday, Aug. 23 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church at 2401 E. Broad St.