Retired Lt. Col. Grover “Alex” Alexander Josey, Jr., 81, of Virginia Beach, VA, passed away on November 10, 2024. Alex was born to the late Grover and Edna Arwood Josey of Disputanta, Va.
Alex graduated from Prince George High School where he played the trombone in the marching band and had the opportunity to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade twice.
He went on to Virginia Tech, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering and met his first wife Carolyn Helton. During his time at Tech he continued to pursue his love of music as Drum Major and Commander of the VT Regimental Band and had the privilege of leading the band in President Johnson’s inaugural parade. He was also elected as president of the national leadership fraternity Omicron Delta Kappa. These were some of the most enjoyable years of his life and he made lifetime friendships with the people he met and bonded with in these groups.
As a member of the Corps of Cadets he was designated as a Distinguished Military Graduate, which earned him a commission in the Army where he served 20 years. His time in the Army allowed him to pursue his love of travel, serving in many locations around the globe, including South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Colorado, eventually visiting every continent except South America. The most rewarding assignment of his military career was serving at the Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) as Chief of Officer Training and Education.
Alex then embarked on his second career in the aviation safety equipment field, where he continued to travel. When he wasn’t traveling, he worked from home which allowed him to spend more time with the most important thing in his life, his family. He had many interests including gardening, animals, politics and anything that involved being outdoors, especially near water. After his second retirement, he volunteered at the Virginia Beach Marine & Science Museum, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and worked on numerous Democratic campaigns.
Alex is survived by Nancy, his loving wife of 29 years and their blended family: daughters, Melissa (Mike) White, Barbara (Brad) Josey, sons Chuck Russell (Jessica) and Fred Russell (Lori); grandchildren Miranda, Malcolm, Colton, Josie, Matthew, Ethan, Deacon, Sean, Tyler, and Ryan, along with many other relatives and friends who were blessed to know him.
Alex was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved canine companions, Kita and Cody. A memorial service will be held on the first week of January 2025, with details to be updated once finalized.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations to the American Diabetes Association, NAMI or a charity of your choice.
