George N. Dreybus Jr. was called to eternal rest by his Heavenly Father on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2001. During his lifetime he served as a soldier, educator and Hampton City Schools psychologist. Born in New York on Dec. 15, 1933, he had been a Peninsula resident since 1970. A 1955 graduate of the Citadel, he entered military service from college. An Artillery officer, during his military service he served in command positions with Air Defense, Field Artillery, Infantry and Armored Cavalry troop units. With a specialty in education, he also served on the staff and faculty of the U.S. Army Field Artillery and Missile School and as a tactical officer and instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. At the time of his retirement in December 1975, he was the commander of the TRADOC Field Element, Fort Monroe, Va. During his military service he served two years in the Republic of South Vietnam, participating in ground combat operations during seven major campaigns in which he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Bronze Star Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Vietnamese Honor Medal-First Class, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm and two Silver Stars. He was decorated for meritorious service at other times during his military career, and he was also authorized to wear the Parachutist Badge and two Unit Citations. Shortly before his retirement from military service, he enrolled in the School Psychology program at The College of William and Mary, where he had previously received a master’s degree in guidance and counseling. In 1978, after completing his internship in Sussex County, he was employed by Hampton City Schools where he served for the next 22 years in his new career, working with children, parents, teachers and administrators as the Coordinator of Testing, Research and Evaluation for the Title 1 Program and as the school psychologist for many of the city’s elementary, middle and high schools. George was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hampton. He was also a life member of both the Disabled American Veterans and The Retired Officer’s Association. A devoted and loving husband, he leaves behind his beloved wife and best friend, Dianne, with whom he spent the happiest years of his life. He loved and raised four sons, George N. Dreybus III of Newport News, Michael C. Dreybus of Atlanta, Ga., David J. Dreybus of Newport News and Stephen P. Dreybus of Williamsburg. He is also survived by a loving sister, Barbara Boesch of Hyde Park, N.Y., and a stepson, Kevin Jones of Merritt Island, Fla., and 10 grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at noon today at St. Joseph Catholic Church. The burial with full military honors will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, in Arlington National Cemetery. The family requests that memorials be sent to the American Cancer Society, 895 Middle Ground Blvd., Suite 154, Newport News, 23606.
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