Victoria – Blye Taler Gillikin Jr., 74, passed away July 28, 2016, at his home in Victoria, Va., with his family at his bedside.

Mr. Gillikin was born in Norfolk, Va., and was a longtime former resident of Chesapeake. He was a graduate of Oscar Smith High School and was a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer after 27 years of service.

He had also retired from the International Union of Elevator Constructors, Local 52 where he worked for Chiselbrook Elevator and Thyssen Krupp with a combined service of 43 years. Blye was predeceased by his parents, Blye Taler Gillikin Sr. and Virginia O’Neal Gillikin.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife of 54 years, Jane Kay Gillikin; one daughter, Priscilla Scott and husband, Tim, of Virginia Beach; two sons, Ben Gillikin of Victoria, Blye M. Gillikin and wife, Sandra, of Baltimore, Md.; three grandsons, Jonathan Scott, Ben Gillikin II , Shawn Gillikin; and one brother, Ronney Gillikin and his wife, Alline, of Chesapeake.

Military honors were accorded at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2016, at Wright Funeral Home, 206 West 4th Ave., Franklin, Va., where the family received friends till 7 p.m.. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Donation Processing, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014. www.wrightfuneralhome.org