William Fred Horn, Jr.

Mr. William Fred Horn, Jr., age 89, of Bealeton, Virginia, passed away peacefully at home during the afternoon of July 9, 2020.

He was born at home February 24, 1931, son of the late William Fred Horn, II, and Irma Engel Horn, of Sample, Pennsylvania. He was the oldest of five children, and was described as quiet and reserved.

He was an excellent student and member of the Hampton High School Varsity football team. He graduated in 1949, and joined the United States Navy in 1951. He was a Seaman Recruit when he and Elva June Collins married June 9, 1952. Although Bill and Elva first met as six year olds in first grade and attended the same schools throughout their public education, they didn’t begin dating until after graduation, and, in 2017, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.

Bill and Elva had five children in ten years, and moved as Bill’s work with the United States Government needed, first to be near the Chincoteague Auxiliary Naval Air Station, Virginia, then the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, then finally to Fauquier County, Virginia, to be near the Vint Hill Farms Station, a United States Army and National Security Agency (NSA) intelligence and electronic warfare facility. He earned numerous accolades and certifications during the thirty-eight years of his service to his country.
Bill’s work took him away from his family for lengthy stretches at times as he traveled around the world, including Turkey, Korea, and Germany. His expertise and knowledge was tapped during the Bay of Pigs crisis, as well as travels behind The Berlin Wall (past Checkpoint Charlie) into East Germany.

Upon his retirement in 1989, Bill Horn was presented with a United States flag that had flown over the White House.

After the discovery of a cancerous tumor and the removal of one kidney, and then the addition of a pacemaker, Bill and Elva lived full lives in retirement helping raise grandchildren and traveling visiting family and friends. Bill enjoyed collecting, repairing, and restoring antique radios. His knowledge on the hobby was extensive. Bill also spent more than twenty years researching and compiling his and Elva’s genealogy.He dated his Horn family line back to the 1500’s. Bill made a copy of the family tree for every family member.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Elva June Horn (Sept. 12, 2017), and sister, Naomi Horn Wadsworth Flack.

Survivors include children and spouses, Janet Irene Horn; Karen Horn Bell Cummings (John); Susan Horn Mason Chappell; Cathy Horn Heisey Morgan (George DeRuiter); William Russell Horn (Lilly); sisters Helen Bauer and Linda Schubert; brother and spouse Edward Horn (Margie); six grandchildren and spouses Valerie Schlang (Jason), Brandon Heisey, Julie Raflo (Scott), Christopher Heisey (Nikki), Hannah Kahler (Jacob), and William Tyler Horn; and six great-grandchildren, Zachariah Kahler, twins: Zayne and Oliver Raflo, Corbin Schlang, Evelyn and Declan Heisey.

A graveside service with Naval Military Honors will be held Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 2:00 p.m., at Culpeper National Cemetery, 501 E. Chandler St., Culpeper, VA, 22701.  Condolences may be sent to the Horn Family, 13110 Marsh Road, Bealeton, VA 22712.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William Fred Horn, Jr., please visit our floral store.