Allan Edward DeWall, 81, of Newport News, Virginia, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, November 13, 2025.
Born in Long Branch, New Jersey, he was the son of Robert Allan DeWall and Eleanor Harvey DeWall.
Allan earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Geology from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. There, while working at U.S. News & World Report, he met his future wife, Marily. They married on October 8, 1966.
His distinguished career began at the Smithsonian Institution as an underwater photographer in Iceland and Norway and as a technician analyzing deep-sea cores. He later joined the U.S. Geological Survey, mapping industrial talc deposits in St. Lawrence County, New York.
Allan attended the Army’s Engineer Officer Candidate School and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers in 1970. He served as a research geologist at the Coastal Engineering Research Center in Washington, DC, continuing in that role as a civilian after completing three years of active duty. In 1983, he transferred to the Army’s Topographic Engineering Center in Alexandria, Virginia, where he mapped water resources in arid regions of the Middle East, Africa, and Central America. He retired from the Corps of Engineers in May 2001 after 33 years of dedicated service.
Allan and Marily retired to Newport News in 2002 to be near family. Together, they enjoyed sailing the Chesapeake Bay and the Caribbean. Allan was an active member of Warwick Yacht Club, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and numerous local charities.
Allan was predeceased by his beloved wife, Marily. He is survived by his daughter, Renee; his son, Justin and daughter-in-law, Gretchen; his grandchildren, Ashley, Gage, Skyler, Alex, Connor, and Roman; his great-grandchildren, Khloii and Eli; his sisters, Carol and Nancy; his brothers-in-law, Jim and David; his sisters-in-law, Linda, Sally, and Sharron and his faithful canine companion, Misty.
A Memorial Service honoring Allan’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on January 10, 2026 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Newport News, Virginia. A Celebration Reception will follow at the Warwick Yacht and Country Club.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to THRIVE Peninsula in Newport News.
