William Nelson Wilbur, Jr.

Obituary:

William Nelson Wilbur April 15, 1913 - April 03, 2010

Birthplace: Devon, PA Resided In: Warrenton Virginia Visitation: None Service: April 08, 2010 Cemetery: Private

William Nelson Wilbur who rode the Virginia countryside most of his life and who was well known as the M. F. H. of the Warrenton Hunt died peacefully on April 3 at Loretta, his family home in Warrenton, Virginia. He died only twelve days before his 97th birthday. He was a vestryman at St. James Episcopal Church, President of the Warrenton Horse Show, a member of the Gold Cup Committee, and President of the Fauquier Club.

Born in 1913 in Devon, Pennsylvania, Mr. Wilbur was the oldest child of Jane Forbes Wilbur and William Fitch Wilbur. He lived all of his life in Fauquier County, first at Broadview Farm, and ultimately at Loretta. He studied at Stuyvesant School in Warrenton under his uncle Edwin King and at the University of Virginia.

Son of a former Warrenton Hunt M. F. H. who also won the Virginia Hunt Timber Race that became the Gold Cup in 1922, Mr. Wilbur was himself the M. F. H. of the Warrenton Hunt for fourteen years in the 1950’s and 1960’s and was renowned for his horsemanship. In 1976 through 1979, he participated in the 100 Mile Ride in Hot Springs, Virginia, and was either the Grand Champion or Reserve Champion in each of those years. In addition to riding and foxhunting, his interests included duck hunting, fly fishing, and sailing.

Mr. Wilbur was in the brokerage business all of his working life in Warrenton. What his brokerage and foxhunting friends may not know is that Mr. Wilbur was also once a miller. For five years as a young man, he and Charles C. Furr operated Beverley Mill at Thoroughfare Gap. This mill was on of the countryside’s last remaining water-powered grist facilities and is now on the National Historic Registry and is begin restored.

One other thing his friends are not likely to know is that his family once owned the H. O. Wilbur Chocolate Company in Lititz, Pennsylvania, founded in 1894, a company that made “Wilbur Buds”, still sold today, and one of Mr. Wilbur’s favorites among the chocolates he had a passion for.

Writing in the Fauquier Democrat, Joe Winkleman described Mr. Wilbur: “Billy Wilbur is a true Old Timer in Fauquier.” Friends have said that “Billy was the most fun, best dancer, and most gracious man” they had ever known.

Mr. Wilbur was married to Mary Tyler McCormack Wilbur who pre-deceased him in 1981. He is survived by his wife of twenty-five years, Ellen (Dootsie) Glazebrook Wilbur and by three daughters, Mary Tyler Knowles of Dedham, MA, Jane Wilbur Agnor of Williamsburg, VA and Emily Elizabeth Takacs of Romney, WV as well as six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 8 at 11:00 AM at St. James Episcopal Church, Warrenton.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Piedmont Environmental Council, PO Box 460, Warrenton, VA 20188, St. James Episcopal Church, 73 Culpeper St., Warrenton, VA 20186 or the Hospice of the Rapidan, PO Box 1715, Culpeper, VA 22701.