Julius Jesse Vagi

Born in Detroit, Mich., on August 11, 1926, Jay was the son of Maria Bubno Vagi and Janos Vagi. He was preceded in death by four brothers, Albert, John, Louis David and Zoltan Julius.

Jay was a graduate of the Henry Ford Trade School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in metallurgical engineering from Wayne State University. He was a WWII U.S. Navy veteran and was a naval aviation cadet and naval officer trainee from 1944 to 1946.

Jay served as a welding and metallurgical engineer for more than 40 years. He spent 20 years with Battelle Memorial Institute Welding Research Division in Columbus, Ohio and 20 years with the Babcock & Wilcox Company Naval Nuclear Operations in Lynchburg.

Jay was a member of the American Welding Society, American Society for Metals – ASM International, and the National Society of Professional Engineers. He presented lectures, authored reports, developed training courses, and published numerous technical papers on welding. Jay held two welding-related patents.

He is survived by Joanne, his wife of 66 years, and two sons, Joe Vagi and his wife, Kim, of Glen Allen, Va., and Jon Vagi and his husband, Patrick Toal, of Hawaii. He also leaves behind his beloved granddaughter, Sierra Vagi of Glen Allen, sister-and-law Nancy Vagi of Lenoir City, Tenn., and many nieces and nephews.

An open visitation will be held from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm Thursday, January 7, 2021 at Whitten Timberlake Chapel. The family will be available from 2:00 pm until 4:00 pm for anyone that’s wants to visit with them at the funeral home. A private burial will be held at Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Amelia at a later date.