Taps He formerly served on the VMI Board of Visitors. He earned a both Bachelor of Science degree and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Sybil Vandenburg Berkley, and brother, John McCoy Berkley (Joanne Saunders Berkley). He was preceded in death by his sister, Colonna Berkley, and brother-in-law, Robert Drew Harrison.
Louis H. Blair Louis H. Blair of Rockbridge Baths, Virginia, died Sept. 5, 2020. He was 81. He previously taught at VMI and held degrees from the University of Virginia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne Blair; daughter, Kate Blair; and son-in-law, John Holmes.
Grover O. Craven Retired U.S. Army Col. Grover O. “Sonny” Craven of The Villages, Florida, died Aug. 2, 2020. He was 76. He was formerly the director of the VMI Office of Communications and Marketing. He is survived by his wife, Sara Harlene; son, Scott (Elizabeth); and grandchildren, Jessica and Olivia.
He formerly taught engineering at VMI. He is survived by his children, Boyce D. Tate Jr., Stephen R. Tate, Sara Lynn Saxton, Emily A. Taylor, and Amy Lou Tate-Williams; grandchildren, Jason Tate, Jordan Tate, Keith Tate, Lee Taylor, Brooks Taylor, Jeremiah Medley, Tate Williams, Bess Contreras, Valerie Jones, Amie Medley, and Caroline Tate; and 12 great-grandchildren.
George Piegari (Hon.) Col. George Piegari (Hon.), Ph.D., of Lexington, Virginia, died Oct. 4, 2020. He was 79. (Editor’s Note: An extended obituary for Col. Piegari (Hon.) appears in the In Memory section of this issue.)
Boyce D. Tate Boyce D. Tate of Hardinsburg, Kentucky, died Aug. 18, 2020. He was 92.
Lyon G. Tyler Jr. Col. Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr. of Franklin, Tennessee, died Sept. 26, 2020. He was 95. He was formerly part of the faculty at VMI. He is survived by his daughter, Susan Selina Pope Tyler; and brother, Harrison Ruffin Tyler. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lucy Jane Pope Tyler.
After Taps Augustus Robbins III ’47 By Mark Bryant ’77 Augustus “Gus” Robbins III ’47 grew up in Hopewell, Virginia, and matriculated at VMI in 1943. After one year, he enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. After the war, he returned to VMI and graduated as a member of the Class of 1947 with a degree in civil engineering. He moved to Baltimore, Maryland, working for ESSO and Drummond & Co. before starting his own company, Ratrie, Robbins & Schweizer, which became a leading road construction and asphalt paving company in the Maryland area. He was chairman of the board and executive vice president until he retired in the 1980s. He was active in church and civic and VMI affairs, as he and wife, Jane, raised their family in Baltimore. He was a member of the Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore; the VMI Foundation’s Institute Society;
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the Boy Scouts of America Baltimore Council (receiver of the Silver Beaver award for outstanding service); the Virginians of Maryland (receiving the Medallion of Honor as Illustrious Virginian); and numerous trade organizations. After moving to Virginia with Betty Lane in the early 2000s, Gus was active in Merchants Hope Church Foundation, serving as president for 10 years. He also served on the Board of Historic Hopewell Foundation. His other membership included the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the Virginia Historical Society. He was an active member of the Institute Society as well as the VMI Alumni Association, serving as class agent for more than 10 years. While his son, Gus IV ’77, was at VMI, Gus III was a huge supporter of all the BRs in the Class of 1977.
VMI Alumni Review
