Robert Wimbish

1928 - 2025

Robert Allan Wimbish of Atlanta, Georgia, a kind and loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away peacefully after a brief stay in hospice care on December 10, 2025, at age 97. Mr. Wimbish made his career as an attorney with Southern Railway Co., through its merger with Norfolk & Western Corporation, remaining with the new Norfolk Southern Railway until his retirement.

Allan made many dear friends everywhere along the way of his life and career, living in McLean, Va., Roanoke, Va., Virginia Beach, Va., before settling in Atlanta during his last years. He was pre-deceased by his first wife of 26 years Lucretia Grant Wimbish; his second wife of 36 years, Joan Schoen Bortnick; sister Virginia Patterson and brother Joseph Wimbish Jr.; stepdaughter Robin Austin Cale; and a grandchild. He is survived by his two children, Nancy (Keith) Crayton of Richmond, Virginia, Jane (Bryan) Luci of Franklin, Tennessee; two stepchildren, Lawrence Schoen of Bellevue, Idaho and David (Elizabeth) Schoen of Atlanta, Georgia; 12 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Allan was born in 1928 in Winston-Salem, N.C. to Joseph H. and Mary Noel Wimbish. The family settled in Charlottesville, Va. when Allan was a child and he graduated from Lane High School in 1947. A forever proud Cavalier, he attended the University of Virginia and was a member of the Delta Upsilon and Alpha Kappa Psi fraternities. He was also a member of the Jefferson Sabres, the honor society of the University of Virginia Army ROTC. He graduated from UVA in 1951.

After college, Allan entered the University of Virginia School of Law, but his matriculation was delayed by the Korean War. He served during the Korean War in the U.S. Army as a Captain in the Transportation Corps. He remained in the Army Reserves until his Honorable Discharge in 1964. Allan was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, Army Commendation Ribbon with Medal Pendant, and the United Nations Service Medal, among others. Returning to UVA Law after the war, he was elected to the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review, graduating in 1955 with his LL.B. degree.

Following law school, Allan clerked for Judge Armistead M. Dobie on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit and after working as an attorney with the law firm Hunton & Williams, where he worked for Justice Lewis Powell, he made his career as a senior attorney for the Southern Railway and later Norfolk Southern.

In his later years, Allan enjoyed golf with friends and family, walking his dogs, reading history, following the Cavaliers and college sports generally and volunteering in activities like pet therapy at retirement homes. A black and white stray cat adopted Allan, was named Tux and despite his feral nature, followed Allan everywhere.

Interment will be at Monticello Memory Gardens, 11:00 a.m. EST, December 19, 2025, in the care of Teague Funeral Service of Charlottesville. Memories of Allan may be shared at www.dignitymemorial.com.