In Memoriam: 1970s
Notices sorted by graduation date
Eugene Courtney Hoopes (Com ’71) of Charlottesville died Jan. 29, 2023. As an undergraduate at the McIntire School of Commerce, he was a member of Theta Chi fraternity. After graduation, he earned his M.B.A. at The College of William & Mary. He spent his career working in finance and accounting in Charlottesville and the Washington, D.C., area. During his years at UVA, he fell in love with rugby and was a co-founder of the William & Mary Rugby Club. He was twice selected to represent Virginia as the state’s “select side” captain. In 2013, he was inducted into the Commonwealth of Virginia Rugby Football Hall of Fame. Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Debra, a daughter, and many nieces and nephews.
John Samuel “Sam” Johnston Jr. (Law ’72 CM) of Lynchburg, Virginia, died Dec. 10, 2022. While earning his law degree at UVA, he was elected to the Law School Council and was a member of Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity. Previously, he graduated from the University of Alabama, where he was a member of Chi Phi social fraternity. He worked as a judicial clerk for a year in Birmingham, Alabama, with Chief Federal Judge Frank McFadden of the northern district of Alabama. He then moved to Lynchburg and practiced law with Kizer, Phillips & Petty. He was a general district court judge for three and a half years before becoming a circuit court judge for the following 27 years. He is the author of Why Judges Wear Robes and co-author of The Art and Science of Mastering the Jury Trial. He enjoyed completing crossword puzzles, expanding his vocabulary and cheering on the University of Alabama football team. He was also an avid gardener and hunter. Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Liz, four children and seven grandchildren.
Alexina Warnock Jones (Col ’75) of Cambridge, New York, died Jan. 4, 2023. After earning her degree in French at UVA, she earned her master’s degree in library science from Catholic University of America and began working for the U.S. Government Accountability Office in Washington, D.C. She remained there for the rest of her career, achieving top level civilian seniority. In 1985, she took a leave of absence to spend three years in southwestern Germany with her family. After retiring in Cambridge, New York, she was an active member of the Democratic Committee and the Cambridge Valley Cyclists. She also served as a volunteer at Bennington Museum, where she proofed grants and press releases. Known to friends and family as Zena, she enjoyed yoga, gardening, croquet and spending time with family. Survivors include her husband, Thom Jones (Col ’73, Educ ’75 CM), a daughter and two grandchildren.