VSE founder dead at 87

John B. Toomey, founder of VSE Corp., died Nov. 4. He was 87 years old.

Toomey founded VSE in 1959 with two other people. He retired from the company in 1992 as chairman.

According to his obituary, he was raised in Greenwich, Conn., and joined the Navy after high school. He was a pilot and served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He retired from the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1959 as a captain.

After the war, he enrolled at the University of Missouri-Rolla where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering.

He remained close to his alma mater, and in 2005, he made a $5 million gift to help fund the creation of the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Complex. The building that houses the complex is now known as Toomey Hall.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Mary Kelly Toomey. His oldest son, John Kelly Toomey, died early. Also surviving are daughters Kathy Squadra and Patricia Barnwell, a son, James P. Toomey, and seven grandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 4 – 7 p.m. at the Everly Wheatley Funeral Home, 1500 W. Braddock Rd., Alexandria, Va. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 310 S. Royal St., Alexandria, VA. Interment will occur at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association.