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Edward Stewart Robertson, 89, died May 22, 2021, in Lake Ridge, VA. He was born Oct. 9, 1931, in Richmond, VA, to the late Dr. & Mrs. Abner Robertson.
Stewart is survived by his wife of 67 years, Jean Beckh Robertson; children: D. Scott Robertson, (Susan) of Bristow, VA; Lynn R. Andresen, (Bill) of Lake Ridge, VA, and E. Stewart Robertson, Jr. (Jennifer) of San Carlos, CA; two brothers: M. Bruce Robertson (Juanita) of Lewisburg, WV and Dr. William A. Robertson (Mary) of Manakin-Sabot, VA, brother-in-law, Frank D. Hargrove of Beaverdam, VA, plus numerous nieces and nephews.
He is survived by 7 grandchildren: Christopher Andresen (Erica); Allison Yates (Steven); Katelyn Maertzig (Andrew); Abigail Robertson, Beckh Robertson; Eva Robertson and Charlotte Robertson. Also surviving are four great granddaughters, a great grandson due later this year, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Stewart was preceded in death by his son, W. Bruce Robertson, of Sarasota, FL and his sister, Oriana Robertson Hargrove, of Beaverdam, VA.
Stewart graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond, VA and Hampden-Sydney College in Hampden-Sydney, VA. While at Hampden-Sydney he enlisted in the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Course. After graduation he entered flight training at Pensacola, FL and Beeville, TX, where he earned his wings as a F9F-8 carrier qualified fighter pilot. He served in a Squadron in Cherry Point, NC from 1956 to 1958. After active service he spent 7 years in a Reserve Squadron in Norfolk, VA.
Stewart joined Esso Standard Oil Company in Roanoke, VA (later ExxonMobil) in marketing and enjoyed a 33-year career in Roanoke & Lynchburg, VA; Silver Spring, MD; Los Angeles, CA; Charlotte, NC; Memphis, TN and Houston, TX. He and his wife have resided at Westminster at Lake Ridge, VA for the past eight years.
Stewart was an avid duck hunter and longtime member of Ducks Unlimited. He enjoyed playing tennis with his wife and friends. An accomplished pilot, he enjoyed flying light planes and sailing competitively with his brother-in-law, Frank Hargrove. He will be sorely missed.
Obituary Pending
Arthur M. Beavers, 89 of Woodbridge and Manassas passed from this earthly world on May 9th, 2021. Arthur was born during the winter of 1931 to Andrew J. Beavers and Grace J. (Ellis) Beavers in Manassas, Virginia, where he grew up and graduated from High School and began his career. He spent five years in the Armed Forces serving his country. And retired from Safeway after 42 years. He and his wife Rachella volunteered for many years with the local community chapter of “The ARC.”
Arthur leaves behind his wife Rachella Beavers with whom he had 36 loving years, and a large extended-blended family of 6 children, 11 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren, a host of nieces and nephews, and long time friends.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
A small private memorial service will be held by the family. Services are provided by Mountcastle Turch Funeral Home of Dale City and Good Shepherd Lutheran church in Woodbridge.
On Tuesday, 11, May 2021, Mr. W. Hays Parks, went to Our Lord after suffering a stroke. He was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He graduated from Lee High School in Jacksonville, as well as Baylor University and Baylor Law. He was 80 years old.
Mr. Parks entered federal service in 1963 as a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps. His initial service was as a reconnaissance battalion platoon leader. He served in the Republic of Vietnam (1968-1969) as an infantry officer and senior prosecuting attorney. He served as the first Marine Corps Representative at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, U.S. Army; as a congressional liaison officer for the Secretary of the Navy; and as Chief, Law of War Branch, Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy.
After leaving active duty, Mr. Parks remained in the Marine Corps reserves attaining the rank of Colonel. He was instrumental in the development of a law of War Program to assist the training of Marine commanders and their staffs, as well as judge advocates. During his military service, including his reserve career, he earned Navy-Marine Corps, Canadian, and British Parachutist wings, U.S. Army Master Parachutist wings, and 82nd Airborne Centurion wings.
In his civilian capacity, Mr. Parks served as the Special Assistant to the Judge Advocate General of the Army for Law of War Matters from 1979 to 2003. He was a legal advisor for the 1986 air strike against terrorist-related targets in Libya and had primary responsibility for the investigation of Iraqi war crimes during its 1990-1991 occupation of Kuwait. He served as a legal adviser for U. S. Special Operations Forces from 1979 until his retirement. He served as a U.S. delegate for law of war negotiations in New York, Geneva, The Hague, and Vienna. He was instrumental in the negotiation of several important treaties, such as the Blinding Laser Protocol. In August 2003, Mr. Parks joined the International Affairs Division, Office of the General Counsel, Department of Defense. He chaired the Department’s Law of War Working Group from 2003 until his retirement in October 2010.
Mr. Parks occupied the Charles H. Stockton Chair of International Law at the Naval War College for the academic year 1984-1985. In 1987, he was a staff member on the Presidential Commission established to examine alleged security breaches in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. Mr. Parks also testified as an expert witness in cases against terrorists both in the United States and Canada.
Mr. Parks lectured at the National, Army, Air Force, and Naval War Colleges; the military staff colleges; other military schools; and at U.S. and foreign military units. In 2001, he became the sixth person in the history of U.S. Special Operations Command to receive that command’s top civilian award, the U.S. Special Operations Command Outstanding Civilian Service Medal. In 2006, he was awarded the U.S. Special Operations Command’s Major General William F. Garrison Award for a career of service to Special Operations Forces.
In 2016, Mr. Parks was awarded the NDIA Small Arms Group’s Gunnery Sgt Carlos N. Hathcock Award, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions in operational employment and tactics of small arms weapon systems that have impacted the readiness and capabilities of the U.S. military. Mr. Parks also advocated for the use of ammunition by the military that was more accurate, reliable, and hence more effective, such as “Open Tip Match” ammunition. Approval of this type of ammunition resulted in more effective fire and thereby saved American lives. Mr. Parks did more than answer paper request. He encouraged innovation, provided careful guidance to those responsible for developing ammunition to ensure compliance with our treaty and policy obligations.
Mr. Parks was a “watchdog” against challenges to existing military small arms ammunition, such as the 1999-2000 challenge by certain organizations in the international community of the Raufoss 12.7mm Multipurpose Projectile, which he successfully defeated. Hays Parks was a man of profound courage. There are countless U.S. service members alive today because Mr. Parks put more accurate, reliable, and effective ammunition into their hands and the hands of their fellow warfighters.
The Department of Defense, Marine Corps, and the nation lost a valuable member of the team. Hay Parks was a man of action, of learning and of justice. He leaves behind his wife of 45 years, Maria Lopez-Otin, and his beloved cats.
Annabelle Roberta Groover was born in April 26, 1927 to Harry Holmes and Mary Kinchloe of Manassas, VA. She died peacefully in her home on May 17, 2021. She is survived by her daughters Betty Carol Sampson, Wanda Sue Russell, Paula Kay Parker (Frank), Bonnee Annabelle Groover, Donna Jean Kelleher (Michael), and son Roy Allan Groover; her many grandchildren who meant the world to her, Paul Frank Garavaglia III, Aarron Scott Groover, Frank Parker III, Robin Anne Krohn, Christina Nicole Boyd, Michael Coy Parker, Byron Wayne Groover, Christopher R. A. “Bobby” Groover, and Emily Katherine Kelleher; 18 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and several sisters and many nieces and nephews.
She is predeceased by her husband Byron Coy Groover Sr.; her parents Mary Kinchloe and Harry Holmes; sons Byron Coy Jr. and Ray Harry; daughters Nancy Lee Garavaglia and Connie Lynn Fletcher; and several grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, should you wish to honor her memory, please make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association to help others who suffer from Alzheimer's. You may also honor her by thinking of her while walking the beach looking for shells or reading a good romance book, listening to some good toe tapping music or watching old Elvis movies, going on camping trips or visiting amusement parks. May we always remember the twinkle in her eyes and the smile on her face that lit up the room especially when seeing a man in uniform. Last but not least, for those of you who were lucky enough to have had her as your real mom, neighborhood mom, or as a babysitter, you will have known what love is and should
know how to share it.
http://act.alz.org/goto/Annabelle_Groover