Chinnis, Pamela

Pamela Pauly Chinnis was born in Springfield, Missouri, and raised in Galena in a politically active family. A 1946 graduate of the College of William and Mary with a degree in psychology, she became the first woman to serve as president of its Society of Alumni and as national editor of The Mortar Board Quarterly.

After moving to Washington, D.C. in 1948, she joined the Church of the Epiphany and soon became deeply involved in parish, diocesan, and national leadership. An advocate for women’s rights, she broke barriers in the church, serving as her parish’s first female warden and holding numerous lay leadership positions at every level. She went on to preside over the 1976 Triennial Meeting of the Episcopal Church Women, serve as vice-president of Province III (1979–1985), sit on the Executive Council, and represent the church in the Anglican Consultative Council.

In 1991, Chinnis became the first female President of the House of Deputies in its 220-year history, serving three consecutive terms until 2000 after earlier terms as Vice-President. Widely respected for her inclusive leadership, strong advocacy for women’s ordination and under represented groups, and deep faith, she described herself as a feminist and occasionally drew controversy for her outspoken views.

She received several honorary doctorates from General Theological Seminary. With her former husband, Carter C. Chinnis Sr., she had two children, Ann and Cabell. She died on August 24, 2011, and was buried in Galena, Missouri.