Robert Craig Mathison

CDR Robert C. Mathison, USN (Ret.), passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Friday, March 6, 2026, at the age of 73. He was born on June 2, 1952, in Bay Shore, NY, to the late Herbert and Mary Mathison (Deller), and grew up in Lindenhurst, NY.

Rob attended the University of Oklahoma, where he completed the ROTC program and was commissioned into the United States Navy in 1974. There, he met and married Kathy, the love of his life. Together, they had two daughters, Kristie and Kelly. His Navy career took him and his family around the world and back again. Although he missed his family with every deployment, Rob loved being at sea. He retired honorably after 23 years of service to his country. Following his military service, Rob worked as a defense contractor until his retirement from the Joint Task & Evaluation Program in 2017.

In retirement, Rob loved traveling the world and going on cruises with his wife and friends, where he could return to the sea he loved with the people he enjoyed. He loved reading, lottery scratchers, McDonald's breakfasts, Friday night frozen margaritas, and a good steak with a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Rob will be remembered for his goofy, sassy sense of humor, his famous big breakfasts, and his love of Christmas. His childlike spirit during the holidays was contagious. He loved spoiling his family, turning the garage into his wrapping station, and shaking presents with mischievous glee, proclaiming, "It's time to put alllll of my presents under the tree!" He will be remembered for his love of his New York Yankees and Oklahoma Sooners (no matter how much they tested his patience), and Frank Sinatra. He will also be remembered for his beautiful singing voice, for which, if you were lucky, he would let you hear his renditions of "My Way" or "What a Wonderful World" on a Mathison karaoke night.

Above all, Rob will be remembered for his fierce love for his family. He would do anything for his wife, daughters, sons-in-law, and especially his granddaughters. Whether in the everyday things - like slipping them a $20 just because - or in support of them when they were having a rough day, he wanted nothing but the best for his family. We were all so lucky to call him husband, dad, and grandpa.

Rob is survived by his wife of 51 years, Kathy (Meiser); his daughters, Kristie Bergmann (Rob) and Kelly Connors (Mike); his granddaughters, Kaitlyn and Kristin Connors; his sister, Gail Tuohey (Jerry); nephews, Justin (Tina) and Jason Tuohey (Kaitlyn), Greg Barnard, and niece Amy Sanders (Thomas).

A celebration of Rob's life will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Hollomon-Brown Princess Anne Chapel, 3445 Princess Anne Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23456. Visitation is from 12:00-2:00 pm, followed by a memorial service. As Rob was a Yankees fan and an Oklahoma Sooner, we invite family and friends to come dressed in their favorite team's colors or apparel. He wouldn't want it any other way.

The family would like to express their gratitude to Virginia Oncology Associates for their incredible care throughout Rob's cancer journey, and Trinity Hospice for their care and kindness during his final days.

In lieu of flowers, family and friends are welcome to make donations to the American Cancer Society, designated for lung cancer research.