Obituary for CPO Toby Wayne Singleton USN Ret.
Ret. Chief Petty Officer Toby W. Singleton, 80, of Chesapeake, Virginia, passed away at home on November 18th, 2020. Born in Wayland, Kentucky, he was the son of the late Hobert Singleton and Emma Wheeler Singleton. He retired from the United States Navy after 20 years of service.
Left to honor his memory: his wife of 54 years, Mary M. Singleton; his 2 daughters, Barbara Singleton-Seals and her husband Steven Seals and Rose Avonell Harrell; his daughter-in-law Shannon Moore; his grandchildren, Kelly Delia and her husband Tim, Kristen Seals and and her partner Joey Walsh, and Grayson Moore; his sister Mary Margaret Willis and her husband Jr. of Mallory, West Virginia; his sister-in-law Anna Galloway of Glasgow, Scotland, and his brother-in-law Archibald Maxwell of Glasgow, Scotland. Toby also leaves behind nieces, nephews, and their families all from Glasgow, Scotland, cousins, and special neighbors: Margit and Gordon, John, and the Voronuk Family.
Toby is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Hobert Singleton Jr., his sister Rose Avonell Blair Wilson and her husband Jack J. Wilson, his brother Eugene Blair, and his sister Doris Blair Bolko. Toby had strong family ties to Magoffin, Letcher, Floyd, and Morgan Counties in Kentucky.
Toby was a 1959 graduate of Man High School located in Logan, West Virginia. He joined the Navy, saw the world, and became an expert in electronics. His first ship was the USS Harry Yarnell. He met and married the love of his life, Mary while stationed on the Yarnell. He was sent to Great Lakes Naval Base for A school and he and Mary welcomed their first daughter. The next stop was Okinawa, Japan where he and Mary welcomed their second daughter. He was then sent to Treasure Island Naval Base, California for B school and then onto Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek Station, Virginia Beach. He was sent to Vietnam while Mary and their daughters made a home for him to return. He spent the next several years stationed aboard the USS Spiegel Grove LSD-32. Next, he and the family were sent to Groton, Connecticut, where he was stationed at Mobile Technical Unit-4 (MOTU-4). On his last tour, he was stationed aboard the USS Joseph Hewes, home ported in Charleston, South Carolina from which he retired. During his military career, he earned the Navy Achievement Medal, the National Defense Medal, 2 Good Conduct Medals, and was a Sailor of The Month.
Toby and his family retired to Chesapeake, Virginia. He worked for the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Shop 67 and for the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Agency (NOAA) from which he retired a second time. He was a member of the Fleet Reserve Branch 40 Club. He volunteered on behalf of veterans at the VA hospital in Hampton. He loved baseball, golf, and football. He followed Greg Maddux with the Chicago Cubs and continued following him when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He was also a history buff and military strategist; he knew the stories so well one might think that Toby was at the battle himself. He and Mary loved to travel and was particularly fond of historical sites. Toby was a master card player and spent much of his retired days at the Portlock Senior Center playing and teaching Pinochle to the members. Toby spent quality time with his grandchildren and loved playing games with them.
Toby was a major influence to his children and grandchildren. They will forever be indebted to his humor and to his wisdom.
A funeral mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church where Toby was a parishioner on Monday, November 30, 2020 at 10am. There will be a military funeral following mass at Albert G. Horton Veteran’s Cemetery. Please visit www.grahamfuneralhome.com to offer a note of encouragement to the family.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 536 Homestead Rd. Chesapeake, Virginia 23323
Left to honor his memory: his wife of 54 years, Mary M. Singleton; his 2 daughters, Barbara Singleton-Seals and her husband Steven Seals and Rose Avonell Harrell; his daughter-in-law Shannon Moore; his grandchildren, Kelly Delia and her husband Tim, Kristen Seals and and her partner Joey Walsh, and Grayson Moore; his sister Mary Margaret Willis and her husband Jr. of Mallory, West Virginia; his sister-in-law Anna Galloway of Glasgow, Scotland, and his brother-in-law Archibald Maxwell of Glasgow, Scotland. Toby also leaves behind nieces, nephews, and their families all from Glasgow, Scotland, cousins, and special neighbors: Margit and Gordon, John, and the Voronuk Family.
Toby is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Hobert Singleton Jr., his sister Rose Avonell Blair Wilson and her husband Jack J. Wilson, his brother Eugene Blair, and his sister Doris Blair Bolko. Toby had strong family ties to Magoffin, Letcher, Floyd, and Morgan Counties in Kentucky.
Toby was a 1959 graduate of Man High School located in Logan, West Virginia. He joined the Navy, saw the world, and became an expert in electronics. His first ship was the USS Harry Yarnell. He met and married the love of his life, Mary while stationed on the Yarnell. He was sent to Great Lakes Naval Base for A school and he and Mary welcomed their first daughter. The next stop was Okinawa, Japan where he and Mary welcomed their second daughter. He was then sent to Treasure Island Naval Base, California for B school and then onto Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek Station, Virginia Beach. He was sent to Vietnam while Mary and their daughters made a home for him to return. He spent the next several years stationed aboard the USS Spiegel Grove LSD-32. Next, he and the family were sent to Groton, Connecticut, where he was stationed at Mobile Technical Unit-4 (MOTU-4). On his last tour, he was stationed aboard the USS Joseph Hewes, home ported in Charleston, South Carolina from which he retired. During his military career, he earned the Navy Achievement Medal, the National Defense Medal, 2 Good Conduct Medals, and was a Sailor of The Month.
Toby and his family retired to Chesapeake, Virginia. He worked for the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Shop 67 and for the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Agency (NOAA) from which he retired a second time. He was a member of the Fleet Reserve Branch 40 Club. He volunteered on behalf of veterans at the VA hospital in Hampton. He loved baseball, golf, and football. He followed Greg Maddux with the Chicago Cubs and continued following him when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He was also a history buff and military strategist; he knew the stories so well one might think that Toby was at the battle himself. He and Mary loved to travel and was particularly fond of historical sites. Toby was a master card player and spent much of his retired days at the Portlock Senior Center playing and teaching Pinochle to the members. Toby spent quality time with his grandchildren and loved playing games with them.
Toby was a major influence to his children and grandchildren. They will forever be indebted to his humor and to his wisdom.
A funeral mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church where Toby was a parishioner on Monday, November 30, 2020 at 10am. There will be a military funeral following mass at Albert G. Horton Veteran’s Cemetery. Please visit www.grahamfuneralhome.com to offer a note of encouragement to the family.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 536 Homestead Rd. Chesapeake, Virginia 23323