Bill Eskins is survived by his wife Virginia “Ginny” Eskins; his children, Terry Gresham, Brenda Jones and her husband Ernie, William Jr. and his wife Shana, John and his wife Dawn; as well as ten grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, and 7 great-great grandchildren who will miss their “Pawpaw” dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents Mitchell and Lillian Eskins, along with siblings Harold Eskins and Betty Daniel.
Bill Eskins was born on March 3,1932 in Dark Holler, Wolf Creek, West Virginia and he attended school in Norfolk, Virginia. He served in the US Army as a paratrooper in the Airborne Unit during the Korean War, where he achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant.
After his service in the army, Bill returned home to West Virginia. He then met and married the love of his life, Ginny. They were happily married and raised their family in Virginia.
From humble beginnings logging in West Virginia, “Captain Bill” became one of the most distinguished bridge builders in the industry. In 1997 he received the Roebling Award for innovative development and implementation of construction equipment. Some of his most notable projects include the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, Berkeley Bridge, and Coleman Bridge Replacement. After his retirement he consulted on many major projects, including the Cooper River Bridge in South Carolina.
A viewing is scheduled for 9 AM on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, at Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery (6329 E Virginia Beach Blvd, Norfolk, VA 23502). The funeral service will take place at 10 AM, immediately followed by a graveside burial ceremony. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Bill’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association for Alzheimers & Dementia (www.act.alz.org/donate).
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.woodlawnnorfolk.com for the Eskins family.
