Herbert Carlyle Gravely, III, 76, of Newport News, Virginia, passed away at his home on Friday, November 7, 2025, after a lengthy period of declining health.
Carlyle was born in Washington, NC, the third child of the late Herbert Carlyle Gravely, Jr. and Mary Jeane Ripley Gravely. Carlyle grew up in eastern NC and Myrtle Beach, SC. He graduated from NC State University with a degree in Nuclear Engineering in 1970 and began a 44-year career at Newport News Shipbuilding. He graduated from William & Mary with an MBA degree in 1976.
Carlyle’s faith and servant heart motivated his many and varied works at St. George’s Episcopal Church and in many different community and social organizations, especially the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula, Rotary International, the Mariners’ Museum, NC State University, and others. Carlyle served his Lord locally through St. George’s Episcopal Church as well as at the regional and national levels. A great honor of his life was St. George’s naming their community center building “Gravely Hall”. This building houses a variety of faith-based and community service organizations. Its “lights are on” most evenings during the week, making a real difference across the Upper Peninsula area. He particularly loved helping the children of Newport News through the Boys & Girls Clubs, overseeing the expansion of the Clubs’ work across Newport News. Carlyle was happiest when he was not the focus of attention. He was the “behind the scenes” fellow that enabled several community and social organizations to grow and work more effectively.
Carlyle is survived by four siblings: Cynthia Morse of New Orleans, Louisiana, David Gravely and his wife, Lee of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Marshall Gravely and his wife, Francie of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Peter Gravely and his wife, Rita of Valdese, North Carolina; five nephews, one niece, and many friends locally and worldwide.
A Service of Remembrance will be held later at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 15446 Warwick Blvd, Newport News, VA.
