Dr. Walter Rupert ‘Skip’ Earl passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 12, 2016, after a four-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Born to the late Lola Brown and Harry Earl on June 21, 1932, Skip was raised in Hilton Village in Newport News.
He grew up during the Great Depression and World War II. He graduated from Warwick High School in 1950. He graduated Randolph Macon College in 1955. After college, he studied seminary and became a Methodist minister, serving as pastor at Tappahannock, Reveille, Park Place and Great Bridge Methodist churches.
He married Ann Morris and the two later divorced. They had three children together, Jim (Tammy) from Temple, Texas, Steve (Lynne) from Salt Lake City, Utah, and David (Wendy) from Virginia Beach. They all survive him.
He is also survived by his sister, Rachel Earl of Australia, and Sam Earl and wife, Joan, of Smithfield; beloved and devoted companion and soul mate of the last 20-plus years, Ruth Fox of Norfolk; 12 grandchildren, James Earl, Beth Hall, Melisa Clark, Sara Gonzalez, Chris Hawthorne, Robert Hall, Chris Anderson, Ruby Earl, Mason Earl, Hayden Earl, Zachary Earl and Brynn Earl; and six nieces and nephews, 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
In 1968, he left the ministry and became a student councilor at Old Dominion University. He continued his education there, obtaining masters and Ph.D. degrees in psychology. He worked as director of Academic Advising at ODU until his retirement in 1995.
All men die, but few really live! Skip’s exuberance for life was contagious. He was eternally curious, with a thirst for new and different experiences, adventures and cultures. He traveled extensively, going on Earthwatch archaeological studies to Easter Island, Hawaii, Australia, Israel, Jordan, Italy, Wyoming, and Nairobi. He was an avid reader, usually reading three to four books on a wide variety of topics at any given time. He was also dedicated to equal rights for all. He worked actively in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s and 1970’s, leading the Colonial Place Civic League in Norfolk.
After retirement, Skip became a docent at the Norfolk Zoo, where he spent many years as a volunteer and became known as the Zoo Grandad. He was also active in the Unitarian Church of Norfolk.He enjoyed and loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He was beloved by his family and will forever be treasured and remembered as an extraordinary man with a beautiful soul.
The family would like to thank his caregivers at Marion Manor and Our Lady of Perpetual Help for their efforts to keep him comfortable and safe in his last years.
Skip was dearly loved and will be deeply missed.
The family will receive visitors from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 17, at Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home, 1264 Great Neck Road in Virginia Beach. A celebration of Skip’s life will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, March 18, at Unitarian Church of Norfolk, 739 Yarmouth St.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to the Alzheimer’s Association of Virginia or the Norfolk Zoo.
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