David Fallen Varner

David F. Varner, 90, passed away on March 25, 2020 in Newport News. Dave graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth and went to college at the Norfolk Division of W&M. He graduated from Virginia Tech with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1951. Dave was on the Virginia Tech swimming team, Tau Beta Pi, Pi Tau Sigma, Monogram Club, and Honor Council. After graduation, he went to work at Langley NACA (now NASA) and became a project engineer for Research Facilities. In 1954 he went to Naval OCS in Newport, RI. He served in the Civil Engineering Corp and left the Navy as a Lt JG. Returning to NACA in 1957, he worked until retirement in 1985. Dave was a member of the Hampton Roads Jaycees, Warwick Lions Club (45 years), Hidenwood Presbyterian Church, Warwick Yacht Club, NASA Alumni Association, and CNU Life-Long Learning Society. Some of Dave’s hobbies included: acrylic painting, being adult leader in Eagle scouting, walking, mountain trail hiking and traveling covering all 50 states and halfway around the world. Family car trips included three 10,000 miles cross country. Dave is preceded in rest by his wife, Marilyn Carr Varner; daughter, Catherine; and son Brad. Left to cherish his memory are his niece, Eleanor Varner Rathbun; sister-in-law, June Varner; and son-in-law, Waring King. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Hidenwood Presbyterian Church at 414 Hiden Boulevard, Newport News, VA 23606 or favorite charity.