George William Wilbur

Mr. Wilbur is predeceased by his wife of more than 60 years Viola R. Wilbur, in May 2014.

Born in Poughkeepsie, NY., he was raised in Hyde Park, NY., where he lived next door to the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The president had over 1000 acres of farmland and the Wilburs had less than one. But we shared a back fence, which technically made us neighbors." Mr. Wilbur said.

A journalism graduate of New York University, Mr. Wilbur was a U.S. Navy Correspondent in the Pacific theater at the end of World War II and later served in the same area as an Associated Press foreign correspondent.

Mr. Wilbur moved to Richmond in 1951 to begin a 35 year writing career with the Richmond bureau of the Associated Press, where he specialized in politics and government. During that period he interviewed five sitting U.S. presidents. Mr. Wilbur left the AP in 1985 to become a political correspondent for American Features Syndicate. He subsequently became a press aide to three Virginia congressional candidates and finished his career as director of public information for the Dept. of Health Professions.

In 2013 Mr. Wilbur was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Virginia Capitol Corespondents Association, which he cofounded 30 years earlier. He also was a cofounder of Elderhomes, now Project Homes, one of the largest private agencies assisting low income home owners.

As avid world travelers, the Wilburs visited more than 85 countries over 50 years on five continents. A book Wilbur wrote based on their travels, "Memories by the Mile," was published by Amazon in 2010 and is still available.

George and Viola were enthusiastic gardeners with articles about the Japanese gardens and their home on "Hectare," their Bon Air property, featured in both the Richmond Times Dispatch and the national magazine "Ponds."

Sports also held a lifelong fascination for Mr. Wilbur, who skied well into his 70's in both the U.S. and Europe and also played tennis until his mid 80's.

A Life Celebration will be held at Woody Funeral home on Huguenot Road, Midlothian on Tuesday January 31st beginning at 11am there will be a service followed by a reception.