Uncle Howard, Mom, Grandma Edna, Granpa John, Aunt Grace, Aunt Ruth, and Uncle Bobby. (Left to Right) 1979
John Robert Topping (Jr.)
John Robert “Bob” Topping, 87, of Williamsburg, VA, went to be with the Lord on August 3, 2008. He previously had lived in Wintergreen, VA and Fairfax Co. VA. He was born in New York City on March 14, 1921, the son of John Robert & Edna Saunders Topping.
He graduated from Belleville HS in Belleville, NJ in 1939 and attended Essex Jr. College. In 1949 he obtained a Business Degree from Rutgers University where he served as student body president. He received his Masters of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1957. During WWII he served honorably with the US Navy from 1942 to 1946 including duty as a Petty Officer First Class in anti-submarine warfare.
Prior to being called into Christian ministry and entering Princeton Seminary, he worked as a sales executive with Lambert Pharmaceutical Co. in New York, Connecticut, California and Arizona. Over a period of approximately 30 years, Reverend Topping touched many lives serving as pastor to the Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church in Daretown, NJ; Garden Memorial Presbyterian Church in Washington DC; and Church at Northern Virginia in Oakton, VA.
In addition to serving as a pastor, he also had a radio ministry and founded a seminary in the Washington DC area. He participated in a number of mission trips sharing the gospel of Jesus to places like India, Russia and Scandinavia. In his later years, he had a very strong prayer ministry. Throughout his life he was an avid reader and bible scholar. He also was a sports fan and particularly enjoyed watching Washington Redskins football games.
Reverend Topping was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Paula V. “Pat” Topping who died in 2005 and his sisters, Ruth Rogers and Edna May Topping. He is survived by his daughter, Jane B. Topping and his son, Robert G. Topping both of Williamsburg, VA. He is also survived by sisters Alice Burdge of Cape Coral, FL and Grace Rosko of Howell, NJ and his brother, Howard Topping of Ocala, FL. He had seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
There will be a memorial service a 1:30PM at Williamsburg Community Chapel on Friday August 8th. Interment will be in Williamsburg Memorial Park. Bucktrout of Williamsburg is in charge of the arrangements.