Randolph Edmonds "Randy" Trow Jr.

1942 - 2026

Randolph Edmonds "Randy" Trow, Jr.

February 15, 1942 - February 6, 2026

Randolph Edmonds Trow, Jr. "Randy", age 83, passed away on Friday, February 6, 2026. He was born on February 15, 1942, in New York, New York to Lydia Person Trow and Randolph Edmonds Trow. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Burke Trow; his daughter, Marshall Trow Lynch (Dennis); and son, Randolph Edmonds Trow III (Clare); as well as his grandchildren, Eleanor Addison Lynch, Dennis Coleman Lynch, Randolph Edmonds Trow IV, and Baxter Milne Trow; and his brother, Thomas Harper Trow (Charlotte).

After a close call boarding the N.Y. Subway alone at age two, Randy's parents moved the family to Virginia - first Roanoke, where his brother Tommy was born, and then to Richmond where they settled down on Ranch Drive. Randy attended Freeman High School, class of 1960, Hampden Sydney College, class of 1964, and University of Richmond School of Law, class of 1968 which led to a 50+ years career as a practicing attorney.

Assigned as her date for a party, Randy met his future bride Betsy Burke in the summer of 1962. Legend has it they danced the night away and the rest, as they say, is history. Married in 1967, Randy and Betsy made their home and raised two children, six cats and four dogs in Richmond, Va.

Randy Trow was lighthearted and quick-witted, had a steadfast sense of justice, was a gifted storyteller, and collected friends of all ages everywhere he went. He was a man of many activities and had offbeat talents such as speaking with foreign accents (Scottish and Australian were his best) and napping while sitting straight up (never met a chair he couldn't sleep in). He spent his winter weekends on the Bryce Mountain Ski Patrol (50 years!) and many of his fall and spring weekends leading windsurfing trips to the Outer Banks. He was passionate about helping others learn the sports he loved, so much so, that he earned his PSIA Level II certification for ski instruction (at the ripe old age of 70) and pulled a trailer stacked with six boards behind him to the beach. Quite handy around the house and yard, Randy helped Betsy plant 100s of trees, flowers and shrubs, laid brick patios and paths, installed hand-made lofts in dorm rooms and chair rail in apartments. A loving father, he taught Marshall and Randolph to swim in the pool on Highland Road, to ski on the slopes at Bryce, to drive stick shift in his 1972 orange BMW, and to dance anywhere there was music and a dance floor.

Known as "Grandy" to his four grandchildren, he was a natural grandfather and ready to tell anyone who would listen all about Eleanor, Coley, Randolph and Baxter. Besides giving lessons on the slopes, Grandy made bespoke magic wands, dressed up in crazy costumes for Halloween and taught at least two of the four how to mow the lawn. In his later years, Randy could be found walking in the neighborhood with his beloved dog Bode and chatting with everyone along the way. His trademark saying was "Happy Day" and it summed him up well. As his granddaughter Eleanor wrote: "Happy Day" is the core of my grandfather's southern-friendly personality, and he carries it wherever he goes. He never fails to lift the mood at family dinner with one of his timeless stories and entertaining way with words. "Happy Day" reminds me to take each day as a challenge to spread happiness, because the world could use some more Grandys.

A celebration of life will take place later this spring in Richmond, Va. In lieu of customary remembrances, please consider a memorial contribution to the Richmond Animal Welfare Foundation or the St. James's Children's Center.