Richard Frederick Degner, 87, passed away after a brief illness on March 27, 2026. He was born in Winamac, Indiana on January 16, 1939, and moved to Virginia Beach in 1973. Richard was beloved by all who knew him for his kindness, his generosity, his love of the outdoors, and his extensive world travels. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and a successful chemical engineer at Nova Chemical Corporation until his retirement.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife Vivian Emaline and his parents, Carl Omar Degner and Lorraine Wells. He is survived and deeply mourned by his siblings, Joanne, Wayne (Debbie), and Patty; his daughters, Gabrielle (Roger) Verrill and Michelle (James) Dean; his son Paul (Marcia) Degner; nieces and nephews; and many friends. He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Christopher (Nancy), Joshua, Tiffany (Justin), Ashleigh (Jim), Amanda, Nikolas (Travis), Erin (Pete) and Brandon. He is also survived by four great-grandchildren (Alexander, Marleigh, Joshua, and Zane).
A Celebration of Life will be held at Rosewood-Kellum Funeral Home, 601 North Witchduck Road, Virginia Beach on May 2, 2026, at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation or to another of the many charities Richard supported.
