John Owen Vernon

John Owen Vernon, died September 27, 2020 at VCU Hospital in Richmond, VA from a cerebral hemorrhage occasioned by a fall. He was born in the Calvary community of Halifax Co., VA, on April 15, 1924, the son of T.L. and Glennie Dora Mise Vernon, and grew up on the family farm. He graduated from Turbeville H.S. and was drafted in 1942 while enrolled at Elon College. He served on the USS Chatelain and was particularly proud of serving with the task force that captured the German submarine U-505, now on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. He married Jeanne Elizabeth Batton on September 25, 1947 and they enjoyed 73 years of marriage and their RV trips to Alaska, throughout the US, and Australia. They resided in Edison, NJ, after 1951 and he was employed by Johns Manville Corp. After retirement in 1986 they returned to Halifax Co. He is survived by his wife Jeanne; sons, Robert and wife Carol, Kenneth and wife Joan; daughter, Debra; grandchildren, Jon Vernon, Kris Krupa, Charles Ott, Elizabeth Caldwell, and Lydia Chevalier; four great grandchildren; sister, Evelyn McDowell; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family wishes to acknowledge the kind care of Nancy Pulliam, who enabled them to continue living independently during his last months. Due to COVID, the family will receive friends via drive-by or in person outside Brooks Lyon Funeral Home in South Boston, VA, at 2pm on Sunday, October 4. Burial will be at Culpeper National Cemetery in Culpeper, VA, on Monday, October 5, at 2pm. Donations can be directed to the American Heart Association.