Robert Linwood Sale

Robert Linwood Sale, known to people as Bobby, Rob, or Linwood depending on the chapter of life in which they knew him, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in the early morning hours of Monday, September 7, 2026, at Sentara CarePlex Hospital in Hampton, Virginia. He was 56 years old. Though his passing came far too soon and without warning, Robert leaves behind a lifetime of love, laughter, kindness, and memories that will remain with the many people whose lives he touched.

Born March 2, 1970, in Newport News, Virginia, Robert spent nearly his entire life in Hampton, where he grew up, built a life, made lifelong friendships, and became the person so many people were fortunate enough to know and love. He graduated from Kecoughtan High School in 1988 and went on to hold a variety of jobs throughout his life, ultimately spending nearly 17 years at Newport News Shipbuilding, where he worked in a number of different roles and formed many meaningful relationships with his coworkers.

But Robert’s greatest accomplishments were never found on a résumé. They were found in the lives of the people he touched.

Robert was thoughtful, kind, generous, and deeply caring. He had a remarkable ability to put other people before himself and genuinely wanted to make life a little easier for those around him. He would help a friend, family member, coworker, or even a complete stranger simply because he could. He freely shared the wisdom he had gained through his own experiences, hoping that something he had learned along the way might help someone else along theirs.

He was often a quiet man, but he was a deep thinker. When Robert spoke, people listened—not because he demanded their attention, but because what he had to say was often thoughtful, insightful, and surprisingly profound. And then, just when things became too serious, his sharp wit would inevitably make an appearance. Robert had a gift for coming up with the perfect joke, observation, or one-liner at exactly the right moment. Making people laugh and smile was one of the many ways he showed them he cared.

Robert faced his share of struggles throughout his life, but he continued to choose kindness and optimism. Even when he was hurt or wronged, he believed in taking the high road. He had an appreciation for second chances, for lessons learned, and for the possibility of doing better tomorrow. He often turned to writing—poems, notes, and private thoughts—as a quiet way to make sense of the world, process his feelings, and put into words the things that were sometimes difficult to say aloud.

He loved keeping his mind and hands busy. Robert was happiest when he had a project underway, or at least one being planned. He loved figuring out how things worked, building, repairing, fixing, and repurposing things. Give him a problem to solve and he was likely to see it as a challenge rather than an inconvenience. There was always something to tinker with, improve, rebuild, or imagine.

For more than 30 years, golf was one of Robert’s great loves. He had dreamed for years of getting a hole-in-one, although he never really believed it would happen. He would often joke that if he ever did manage to get one, he would retire from golf. In December 2025, at The Hamptons Golf Course in Hampton, he finally got his first hole-in-one. It was a moment he had waited a very long time for—and, perhaps unsurprisingly, he did not retire. Robert kept playing, enjoying the game he had loved for more than three decades.

Robert was also a true animal lover. Over the years, many pets found a home and a family with him. Among those he loved most were his cats Mousie (MJ), Lexi, Bubby, and Sophie. Sophie passed away in January 2026, and her loss was felt deeply. Robert cherished all of his animals, but these four held an especially special place in his heart. He credited them with helping him through some of the more difficult times in his life. To Robert, they were never simply pets. They were family.

In 2023, Robert found the love of his life, Amy Sale (née Horsey). Their relationship quickly became something neither of them took for granted, and they were married on May 4, 2024. Robert often said how happy he was and how lucky he felt that they had found each other. They considered themselves soulmates and reminded each other every day just how much they loved one another. They had plans for a future filled with adventures, places to go, things to do, and memories still waiting to be made. Though their time together was far shorter than either of them deserved, the love they shared was deep, joyful, and certain. Robert knew he was loved, and he wanted Amy to always know how completely he loved her.

Robert was exceptionally proud of his son, Jeff, and cherished their relationship. Jeff could always put a smile on his father’s face, and Robert took great joy in watching him become the man he was so proud to call his son. Robert also loved Jeff’s wife, Mandy, and adored their three beautiful daughters, Skylar, Remy, and Reagan. He was a doting grandfather who could never quite hide the enormous love he felt for his granddaughters. They had a special place in his heart, and being their grandfather was one of the great joys of his life.

Robert’s friendships were just as meaningful to him as his family relationships. Keith Ferguson, Mike Allen, and Danny Wilson were not simply friends; they were like brothers to him. Their bond was built over years of shared experiences, laughter, support, and the kind of friendship that becomes family. Robert loved them deeply and considered himself fortunate to have them in his life.

Robert is survived by his beloved wife, Amy Sale (née Horsey) of Hampton, Virginia; his son, Jeffrey Scott Sale; daughter-in-law, Amanda “Mandy” Sale; and granddaughters, Skylar Paige Sale, Remy Faith Sale, and Reagan Grace Sale, all of Staunton, Virginia; his parents, Bill and Karen Sale of Appomattox, Virginia; his brother, Eddie Sale and wife Kristina of Appomattox, Virginia; his mother-in-law, Mary Ann Horsey of Denton, Maryland; his sister-in-law, Kathleen Davis and her husband, Donnie of Easton, Maryland; his brother-in-law, Shawn Havron of Chesapeake, Virginia; his aunt, Cheryl Willis of Williamsburg, Virginia; and several nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his former wife, Sherry Sale (née Simpson), and his beloved sister, Janice Sale Havron, with whom he shared a close bond.

Robert’s life was not defined by perfection, but by the way he kept choosing love, kindness, humor, and hope despite the challenges he faced. He gave more than he asked for, helped more than he was asked to, and cared deeply about the people and animals who crossed his path.

He leaves behind people who will miss his advice, his laughter, his projects, his perfectly timed jokes, his generosity, and the way he made people feel that they mattered. He will be remembered as a man who quietly carried a great deal of wisdom, who tried to do right by others, and who found genuine happiness in the people he loved.

Most of all, Robert will be remembered for how deeply he loved his family, his friends, his animals, and the woman he called his soulmate. The time he was given was not nearly enough, but the love he gave, and the love he received, were immeasurable.

A memorial service celebrating Robert’s life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Parklawn-Wood Funeral Home, 2551 N. Armistead Avenue, Hampton, VA 23666.