Dr. Robert Arthur Vaul, Jr. was born June 27, 1954, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky to CW3 Robert Arthur Vaul and Shirley Jean Millican Vaul. He departed this world on Sunday, October 5, 2025 after a year of bladder cancer and advanced heart failure.
As a member of a military family, Robert traveled the world, living and attending schools in many places including Kentucky, California, Illinois, Virginia, Massachusetts, Alaska and Texas. He has been to forty-nine states, missing Hawaii.
Robert graduated from LaPorte High School, LaPorte, TX in 1972 and entered the US Air Force, attaining the rank of sergeant. When stationed at Carswell AFB he received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from the University of Texas at Arlington. He attended post graduate classes at Rice University and then, missing military life, was commissioned at 2LT in the Army, spending time at Fort Leonard Wood, MO and Turkey.
While stationed at Fort Sill, OK, Robert moved into an apartment next door to a young lady who refused to let him park in her parking spot (which was nearer the spigot) so he could wash his car. Little did he know that argument would change his life. Robert and Jeanne Bost were married on December 21, 1980 at Cameron Baptist Church in Lawton, OK.
Leaving Fort Sill, Robert and Jeanne moved to Germany, living in Baumholder and Bad Kreuznach, where he served with the 8th Infantry Division (Mechanized). Departing Germany, Robert and Jeanne moved to Newport News, Virginia, and Robert transferred to the Army Reserves, retiring at the rank of major.
Robert entered civil service in September 1989 at Fort Eustis, VA with the Army Training Support Center, working on the instrumentation for the national training centers in Louisiana, California and Germany. He spent ten years at Fort Monroe and then became a geographical bachelor in 2008, moving to Arlington, VA and working in G1, HQ US Army. He was Army subject matter expert in the field of Lean Six Sigma where he was a Master Black Belt. He enjoyed teaching others how to save time, money and resources. Robert retired from Civil Service in December 2018 as a GS15.
Robert was a 1999 graduate of the Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA. He received a Master of Public Administration from American University, Washington DC where he was a member of the Key Executive Program. Robert graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a PhD in public administration.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Scott. Survivors include his wife, Jeanne, and former sister-in-law, Kay Vaul Thompson, of Cypress, TX.
A special thank you to nurses and staff of 3N, 4N and ICU at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center; to our primary care physician, Dr. Michael Javernick; and to Traditions Hospice nurses Angy, Laura and Sesly.
Graveside service will be outside next to the columbarium at Williamsburg Memorial Park on October 13th, 2025 at 11:00 AM. Arrangements handled by Bucktrout Funeral Home of Williamsburg, VA.
