Robert Temple Ryland Jr.

RYLAND, Robert Temple Jr., of "Farmington," King and Queen County, Virginia, passed away on Sunday, November 15, 2009. He was born in Weeksville, North Carolina in 1930, the son of Robert Temple Ryland and Neva Austin Ryland. At the age of 11 he moved with his family to Sharps, Virginia, where his father was teacher, principal and later Superintendant of Richmond and Westmoreland County Schools. He attended the University of Richmond and graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in electrical engineering in 1951. He married Anne Mitchell Motley, his childhood sweetheart from Sharps, Virginia in 1952. They moved to Sharon, Pennsylvania, where he designed transformers for Westinghouse. In 1954, he began his Federal career at the Naval Proving Ground, Dahlgren, Virginia, becoming involved in computer hardware design and computer management. Mr. Ryland held deputy and acting department head assignments in Test and Evaluation, Engineering, Electronics Systems, and Warfare Analysis. He served as Head of the Electronics Systems Department, the Strategic Systems Department, the Protection Systems Department and the Personnel Department. He served on the Technical Director's staff, including Assistant to the Director. In 1989 he was appointed Head of the Engineering and Information Systems Department, the position from which he retired in 1992. He received numerous awards and commendations, including the John Adolphus Dahlgren Award (Dahlgren's highest honor) for his achievements in the fields of science, engineering, and management; the NAVSWC Human Awareness Award, in recognition of individual worth and dignity; the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award, in recognition of contributions of high value to the U.S. Navy; and was a charter member of the United States Senior Executive Service, a corps of executives selected for federal government service based upon their leadership qualities. He attended the Federal Executive Institute at the University of Virginia, and participated in several Brookings Institution conferences. Mr. Ryland was active in many community organizations. He was a charter member of the Dahlgren Lions Club. He was a member of the King and Queen Planning Commission, serving as chairman, and was instrumental in developing the county's Comprehensive Plan. He was a member of the King and Queen Historical Society, serving both as president and treasurer. He had been a member of the King and Queen Tavern Museum Council since its inception. He was also an avid Redskin fan and longtime season ticket holder. He was a devoted member of Bruington Baptist Church, serving as Deacon for many years and chairman of various church committees. He served on the Executive Committee of the Virginia Baptist Historical Society. He was Moderator of the Mid-Tidewater Baptist Association and served in many other capacities. Mr. Ryland's enthusiasm for life was evident through a lifetime of service, a love of country, an ongoing desire to learn, a love of history, a passion for gardening, a love of books and an inquisitive passion for science, engineering, and technology. His great love of family was evident through a lifetime of leadership, caretaking, guidance, family historian, mentoring, sharing and support for both his immediate and extended families. Mr. Ryland is survived by his wife, Anne Motley Ryland, "Farmington," King and Queen. He is survived by his brother, John Newton Ryland III and wife, Darlene, Danville, Va.; and his sister, Dorothy Ryland Garber of Cobbs Creek, Va. He is also survived by his five children and their spouses, Elizabeth Ryland Newton and husband, Jeff, of Culver, Ind., Robert Temple Ryland III and wife, Cheryl, of McCalla, Ala., Anne Ryland Glubiak and husband, Peter, of Walkerton, Va., Catharine Ryland Wolford and husband, Jerry, of Supply, Va.; and John Motley Ryland and wife, Donna, of King George, Va. His grandchildren are Thomas Hurst Newton, Patricia Anne Newton, Robert Temple Ryland, IV (Kristen), Austin Brooks Ryland, Leonora Mitchell Ryland, Joshua Davis Glubiak (Meg), Zachary Ryland Glubiak, Somerville Gwathmey Glubiak, Joseph Edward Wolford (Katherine), Andrew Jackson Wolford, Benjamin Ryland Wolford, Sarah Temple Ryland, Melanie Anne Ryland, and Samuel Motley Ryland. A memorial service will be held at Bruington Baptist Church, King and Queen, Va., on Saturday, November 28, at 1 p.m., with a reception afterward for friends and family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Bruington Baptist Church Building Fund, 4784 The Trail, Bruington, Virginia 23023.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.