WILLIAMSBURG—Hayden Judson Silver Jr. of Williamsburg died peacefully on Thursday, September 28, 2017.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Hayden Judson Silver Sr. and Margaret Brewer Silver.
He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Ann Carter Wendenburg Silver; three children, Hayden Judson “Jay” Silver III, and his partner, Lisa James Dixon, Wendy Ann Bugg and her husband, Wadsworth Bugg III, and Margaret Elizabeth “Betsy” Burton and her husband, James Edward Burton IV; grandchildren, Elizabeth Bugg Hern, Wadsworth Bugg IV, Taylor Silver Fitzgerald, James Edward Burton V, Hannah Corinne Silver, William Prater Burton, Louis Judson Burton, Wright Tracy Dixon IV and James Stevens Dixon; and one great-grandchild, James Edward Burton VI.
Born on September 7, 1933, in Fredericksburg, Hayden became fascinated with airplanes during World War II. His elementary school teachers wished he had spent as much time on his studies as he did drawing military planes.
He graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. With his new bride, whom he met on a blind date, Hayden joined the Air Force as a pilot and for most of his military career flew from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., to Greenland, Europe and Africa. After serving in the Air Force, Hayden worked as a flight test engineer for Boeing in Wichita, Kans.
Hayden and his young family then returned to Virginia, where he worked at the Naval Weapons Laboratory in Dahlgren, and then Texaco Research Laboratories in Richmond. In 1975 Hayden and Ann Carter moved to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., where Hayden spent almost 20 years managing environmental audits and other compliance programs for Texaco’s worldwide operations.
Upon retirement in 1994, Hayden and Ann Carter moved to Williamsburg and Wicomico Church, to be closer to family. Hayden and Ann Carter enjoyed traveling and took many memorable vacations with their children and grandchildren. “Poppop” spent countless hours taking his grandchildren to Busch Gardens, fishing on the river and in the Chesapeake Bay, and catching and picking crabs.
Hayden enjoyed gardening, tennis and golf. Throughout his life Hayden was active in his church and the community. The family is grateful to the staff at Williamsburg Landing and Kindred Hospice for their care.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, October 7, at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, followed by a reception at which the family will receive friends. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Williamsburg Landing Benevolence Fund.
Nelson Funeral Home and Crematory of Williamsburg handled the arrangements.