Obituary of David Carlton Booker

David Carlton Booker, a long-time resident of Reston, died Thursday, December 24, 2020, at Tall Oaks Assisted Living, at the age of 100. David was born on July 12, 1920, in Indian Head, Maryland, the second child of the late Carlton Emory Booker, and the late Marion Gore (Roby) Booker.

He is survived by his daughter, Judi Booker (Jim Wilcox), of Winchester, Virginia; son, Gary Booker, of Warrenton, Virginia; and son, Brian Booker, of Longmont, Colorado. Hisgrandchildren are Scott Booker, of Richmond, Virginia; Holly Booker, of Denver, Colorado; and Adam Booker, also of Richmond.  David’s wife, Virginia; his eldest son, D. Michael Booker; and David’s siblings, Nellie Lee Hagerhorst and George Emory Booker preceded him in death.

Growing up in Alexandria, D.C., and Fairfax, David graduated in the first class (1936) of Fairfax High School.   He met Virginia Carrico on a blind date and married her in 1941.  He entered the Army Air Corps in 1943 and trained as a navigator, serving in the 36th Bomb Squadron in the Rhineland Campaign,from England.  After the war, he was an instructor for StrayerCollege for 10 years, and then started his own secretarial and supervisory training business, Booker Associates.  

David was a perpetual learner, somehow managing to raise a family, work, start a business, complete college and then a master’s degree in organizational development at GWU night school. Always willing to give anything a try, David built a family home in Annandale; was active at Annandale Methodist Church, producing plays and dance worship; took up camping and backpacking and, with Virginia, built a pop-up camping trailer; learned to sail, purchasing a large home-made catamaran and sailing the Chesapeake for many years; and generally created an interesting and fun family life.  

David and Virginia moved from Annandale to Reston in 1967.He and Virginia were active members of Reston’s Washington Plaza Baptist Church and led Marriage Enrichment and Parent Effectiveness Trainings in Reston. In 1980, David became a realtor working for Prudential, and then the Reston/Herndon office of Long and Foster.  Always active, David was still playing racquetball at the Herndon YMCA at age 80.  He also started a poetry group in Reston and continued writing and sharing his poetry until his death.  

The family warmly thanks the staff of Tall Oaks Assisted Living and VITAS Health Services for their caring support of both David and Virginia in their last years.

A brief graveside memorial service for David and Virginia Booker will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 9, at Fairfax Memorial Park, 9900 Braddock Rd., Fairfax.  An outdoor reception in Reston will follow; directions to the reception will be provided at the memorial service.   Dress is business casual. 

Donations in his honor may be made to Cornerstones, Inc. (of Reston/Herndon).