Richard Leopold Naujoks

Virginia Beach - Chief Petty Officer Richard L. Naujoks, USN (Ret.), 90, departed this world at his Kempsville home on Dec. 7, 2016 with his family at his side. Curly was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was born on Nov. 4, 1926 in St. Louis, MO to the late Fredrick Leopold and Helen Michaelis Naujoks.

In 1944, at the age of 17, Curly left the farm to join the US Navy where he started as a Gunner's Mate. He attended Submarine School in New London, CT and was assigned to the USS Sea Poacher.

He was transferred in 1949 to the IREX SS 82 submarine. Throughout his career he advanced to Chief in the Weapons Dept. Curly volunteered for the Polaris Missile Program and attended the US Navy's Fire Control School. He fired the first flight test of the Polaris missile from the submarine USS Patrick Henry (SSBN 599). Curly was among the first to be trained in the Munson Lung, known by all sailors as the "blow and go" technique, which was designed to help sailors escape to the surface from submerged vessels.

Curly met and married Virginia Carol Wentworth in 1950. They enjoyed 49 years until Ginny passed in 2000.

In 1964, Curly retired as Chief Fire Control Ballistic Missile Technician and then became a Civil Service employee with the Dept. of Defense. He served his country for another 20 years working in the Poseidon and Trident Missile Systems.

Curly was active in the DAV dedicating thousands of hours, including serving as VA State Rep, volunteering with palliative care at Hampton VA Medical Center, and often driving vets to appts. Dick was a 63 year Masonic Veteran with the Kempsville Lodge and a member of the Hillbillie Unit of the Khedive Shrine.

Richard met Sybil Estelle Fisher in 2001 and they married in 2003.

He is survived by his wife, Sybil; children, Rick Naujoks (wife, Ginger), Nadine Naujoks (Herb Coon), Sherry Smith, and Terry Naujoks (Bruce Galardi); grandchildren, Chad Naujoks (wife, Lisa), Hunter Smith, and Jessica Nichols; and great-grandchild, Claire Batlle. He is remembered with love by the Fisher family: Tom (wife, Juanita, their children, Christopher, Chelsea), Julie (husband, Bob and their children, Lauren, Austin), and Randall.

The family will receive friends from 6-7:30 pm, Mon. Dec 12th at Smith & Williams Funeral Home on Princess Anne Rd. The funeral will be held at 1:00 p.m., Tues. Dec 13th at the funeral home, with a reception immediately following. Interment will follow at Princess Anne Memorial Park.

We are so grateful for the loving care Richard and our family received from Westminster Canterbury Hospice. Special thanks to Drs Ronald Modlinger (deceased) and Andrew Terry.