JOHN BOONE TROTTI

TROTTI, The Rev. Dr. John Boone, 77, died at home on January 29, 2013. His survivors include his wife of 55 years, Joan; their children, Beth Schneir and her husband, Jason, of Reno, Nev.; Meg Richardson, her husband, Rob, and their sons, Ian and Colton of Mechanicsville; and Michael Trotti, his wife, Christine Lux, and their children, Sophie Lux and Sam Trotti of Ithaca, N.Y. John was born and raised in Asheville, N.C., educated at Davidson College (B.A.); Union Theological Seminary in Virginia [now Union Presbyterian Seminary](B. D.); Yale Divinity School and Yale University (M. A., Ph.D); and the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (M.S.L.S.). After a pastorate in Altavista, Va., John returned to the seminary in 1968 as professor and librarian, overseeing the expansion of the Spence Library and the design and construction of the present William Smith Morton Library (on which his likeness in the guise of a gargoyle is mounted), while adding to the collection not only new publications but also significant private libraries of several European theologians. He taught Old Testament at Randolph-Macon Women's College while in the pastorate, and at the seminary, particularly enjoyed teaching classes in Theology and Literature for many years. At the 220th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in 2012, he was presented the Award for Excellence in Theological Education for his lifetime contributions to theological education. These included the establishment of the International Theological Book Project, through which over 135,000 volumes of library duplicates and donated books have been shipped to more than 100 theological schools around the world, and his being on the organizing Board of the Baptist Theological School at Richmond. He belonged to the American Theological Library Association, serving a term as president. John had a pastor's heart. In addition to his great love for his family, he had special affection for his library staff, his seminary "sons and daughters," and the members of the adult Covenant Class Sunday School family at First Presbyterian Church, Richmond, which he taught for 44½years. For many years, John coped with myriad physical challenges with a strong faith and sheer determination not to leave his beloved family. He was enabled to do so by the extraordinary gift nearly 19 years ago of a kidney from his only sibling, his sister Clare Stephens (Mrs. Hugh W.) of Asheville, N.C. His entire extended family rejoice for him that he has ceased his struggles and is in the presence of his Lord whom he faithfully served all his life. A Service of the Resurrection will be held at First Presbyterian Church, Richmond, on February 9, 2013, at 2 p.m. Memorial gifts may be made to the John Boone Trotti Book Fund for Theology and Literature at Union Presbyterian Seminary, 3401 Brook Road, Richmond, Va. 23227, or the Trotti Endowment Fund for Adult Education at First Presbyterian Church, 4602 Cary Street Road, Richmond, Va. 23226.

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