John Robert Dillehay

John Robert Dillehay died peacefully on Thanksgiving morning, November 23, 2023, at the age of 91. His beloved wife of 66 years was with him through the night and his daughter, and two grandchildren were close by. The family is thankful they were all together and that he is now with God. John, also known as John Robert, Robbie, Mr. Dillehay, and Poopaw was born on October 18, 1932 to Alice Powell and Ulysses Grant Dillehay in Hudgins, Virginia. He graduated from Mathews High School and received his bachelor’s degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Following graduation, John worked with the United States Steel Company in Pittsburgh; taught at Mathews High School and at The Collegiate School in Richmond. An engineer, he left teaching to work at Reynolds Metals Company where he devised manufacturing processes. Following that, he spent the bulk of his career in land purchasing and management with the Commonwealth of Virginia, and in retirement worked part-time as sales manager for the state fairgrounds (Atlantic Rural Exposition). John loved sailing the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and was an avid reader. He was a true Mathews boy from start to finish. He enjoyed antics as a child and young adult and sharing stories about those antics later in life. John also had a strong faith as a long-time member and volunteer at Centenary United Methodist Church in Richmond. John is survived by his wife, Bette; a daughter, Valerie Hubbard (Mark); a granddaughter, Ellen Virginia Hubbard; a grandson, Matthew Lewis Hubbard (E-beth), and a great-grandson, Finnian Harris Hubbard. Visitation will be held at Faulkner Funeral Homes, Foster-Faulkner Chapel, Mathews on Monday, Nov. 27, from 5 – 7 p.m. A graveside funeral service will be held at H. C. Smither Memorial Cemetery on Queen’s Creek on Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made to Friends of the Mathews Memorial Library.