In Memoriam
2020
PAUL KROP, Good Luck Cellars
Paul Krop, winemaker, co-founder and co-owner of Good Luck Cellars in Kilmarnock, passed away on Oct. 28, 2020. Paul was an active member of the Virginia Vineyards Association and a frequent and valued contributor to its newsletter, Grape Press. His obituary follows below.
Paul Krop passed away on Oct. 28. 2020. The son of Mary (Lulick) and Stephen Krop, he was born in New York City on Nov. 7, 1943. His early years were spent in Edgewood, Md.; Metuchen, N.J.; Silver Spring, Md.; and Somerville, N.J., with his two sisters, Marianne and Elaine, and brother Tom. He is survived by his devoted wife, Karen (Katie) Ledlie Krop, and his five children, Matthew (and Amberly) Krop, Adam (and Jenny Crawford) Krop, Sarah (and Jarred) Nowell, Anne (and Bryan) Jackson, and Nicole (and Drew) Casey, as well as his 12 beloved grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Marianne Krop and brother Tom and his wife Candy.
Paul was a tremendously accomplished man as evidenced by his professional and personal life. He received his pre-medical degree from Georgetown University in 1965 and his MD at Georgetown Medical School in 1969. His interests steered him to orthopaedic surgery and he completed his internship and residency at the Tufts New England Medical Center/Boston City Hospital surgical program from 1969 to 1975.
Drawn to warmer weather and his love of sailing, he began his professional career in Virginia Beach with Virginia Beach Orthopaedic Associates in 1975. Because he was always fascinated by the wondrous capabilities of the human hand, Dr. Krop accepted a prestigious Fellowship in hand surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia in 1981. Therefore, he was Board certified in both General Orthopaedics and Hand Surgery. In 1983, he co-Founded Atlantic Orthopaedic Associates, where he practiced for the rest of his career. Because of Paul’s professional excellence, his fellow physicians recognized him both with election as President of the Virginia Orthopaedic Society and the presentation of the Virginia Orthopaedic Society Career Award.
Perhaps due to his Ukrainian roots, Paul felt the need to foster his love of farming when most people would be happy to simply retire. Never one to back away from a challenge, Paul decided to go big. In 2011, after six years of planting and tending vines and building a beautiful winery venue, Paul and Katie opened Good Luck Cellars in Kilmarnock, Va. Paul used his passion and knowledge of science to create award winning wines, as recognized by the Virginia Governor’s Cup. Paul and Katie’s love of people was a key element for what has become a social and cultural center of the Kilmarnock community.
Those close to him knew he was an ardent family man, natural teacher, active sportsman, and passionate supporter of the arts. Paul frequently spoke about how family was the meaning of life, and took great pride in teaching them about sailing, fitness, and the natural world. At the same time, he loved the arts and found great solace creating music on the piano, guitar, and on stage in numerous church play productions.
He was laid to rest at Grace Episcopal Church in a private family service in Kilmarnock. A celebration of Paul’s life will be held at Good Luck Cellars in 2021 when relaxation of COVID restrictions allow. Memorial donations can be made to Massachusetts General Hospital, Development Office, Attn: Elizabeth Barberio, 125 Nashua St, Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114, with the memo to “In memory of Dr. Paul Krop – Dr. Greenberg Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy Research.”
2019
DAVID LESLIE KING, King Family Vineyards
A letter from VVA President Nate Walsh to our members:
It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of David L. King, who with his wife, Ellen, established King Family Vineyards in Crozet in 1998, and built it into one of Virginia’s best known and most honored wineries. In fact, King Family’s Mountain Plains red blend was honored April 29 as the top-scoring wine at the Monticello Cup awards. David was an avid polo player, a skilled pilot, a multi-term chair of the Virginia Wine Board and a proud Reserve Deputy with the Albemarle County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Division.
On behalf of the Virginia Vineyards Association, I want to extend my condolences to the entire King family. He will be greatly missed by all of us.
The obituary issued by King Family Vineyards, reprinted below, describes David’s many interests and accomplishments.
Nate Walsh, VVA President
King Family Vineyards Press Release:
David Leslie King, 64, of Crozet, Va., passed away after a hard-fought battle with cancer on May 2 while surrounded by his family. He was born on Oct. 14, 1954, in Houston, Texas, the son of the late Max Caleb King and Diane Estes King. He grew up in Abilene, Texas, and after graduating from Abilene High School he played Division 1 tennis for Trinity University where he met his wife, Ellen Carrington, who he married in 1977. In 1981 he obtained his law degree from the University of Houston Law School in Houston, Texas. The city was home to the King family until 1995 when they moved to Virginia and established Roseland Farm and then in 1998, established King Family Vineyards.
An avid polo player, David was also a skilled pilot, and a proud Reserve Deputy with the Albemarle County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Division. He will be remembered for his contributions to the wine industry as the Chair of the Virginia Wine Board from 2007-2009 and 2013-2018. As Chair, he was often heard to say that “a rising tide lifts all boats,” expressing his passion to improve the industry for all. Additionally, David served as a Trustee for the Gray Carrington Memorial Scholarship Foundation at the University of Virginia.
He is survived by his wife, Ellen, and his sons and daughters-in-law, Carrington and Corie, Stuart and Ali, and James and Kelly as well as his eight grandchildren. He is also survived by his mother Diane, his brother Robert and his wife Vicki, and his aunt and uncle Esme and Allen Glenn, his uncle Don Estes, his aunts Wilma Ruth King and Barbara King, Rosy and Eric Heinsohn, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by his brother-in-law and best friend Edward Carrington Jr.
The family would like to thank Dr. Frank Fossella of MD Anderson hospital in Houston, Texas, and Dr. Richard Hall of the Emily Couric Cancer Center at the University of Virginia for their expert care and attention. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a contribution to the Focused Ultrasound Foundation in Charlottesville, VA (1230 Cedars Court, Charlottesville, Va. 22903) www.fusfoundation.com.
The King family will be hosting a casual celebration of David’s life on Friday, June 14, at their family farm in Crozet from 7:30 p.m until 9:30 p.m.
2018
DENNIS DUNNE HORTON, Horton Vineyards
A letter from VVA President Nate Walsh to our members:
Dennis Dunne Horton was one of the true pioneers of the Virginia wine industry, and it was with great sadness that we received news of his passing on June 19 at his home in Aroda, Va.
An Air Force and Vietnam veteran, Dennis, with his wife Sharon, moved to Virginia in 1977 and planted their first vineyard in 1989. That initial planting included eight acres of Norton, five acres of Vidal Blanc and five acres of Cabernet Franc. Horton Vineyards is located in Gordonsville.
Annette Boyd, of the Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office, noted that Dennis and Sharon’s farm winery was the first in Virginia to plant Viognier, as well as several other grape varieties. In an interview with Southern Foodways Alliance, which Annette unearthed, Dennis discussed his experimentation with grapes in Virginia.
“I was one of the first in the area or in that timeframe to start planting in Viognier and to plant other grapes that had not been planted, but I thought they were more suitable for a grape-growing area as Virginia,” he said, taking note of the Commonwealth’s characteristic heat and humidity.
“And some of them proved to be successful,” he added. “It’s not that everything I put in the ground did what it was supposed to do; some of them didn’t. But Viognier was one, Tannat is another one, Petit Manseng is another one, and recently I introduced Pinotage, which is a South African grape.”
Nebbiolo, Norton and Rkatsiteli are additional grape varieties that Dennis Horton is credited with first growing and producing wine from in Virginia. While Norton is native to Virginia, it was pulled up during Prohibition. Dennis took cuttings from a friend at Stone Hill Winery in Hermann, Mo., and had them rooted in New York for planting at his vineyard.
Dennis is survived by his wife, Sharon Elaine Eldringhoff Horton; a daughter, Shannon Lee Horton, of Aroda, and one grandchild, Caitlin Elizabeth Horton of Aroda.
He graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in marketing, and was a member of the Virginia Vineyards Association, the Virginia Winery Association, and a former board member of the Monticello Wine Trail. He was also a member of the Rhone Rangers, the VFW, and St. Isidore The Farmer Catholic Church.
A celebration of Dennis’s life will be held July 9 from 4-8 p.m. at the winery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: PVCC Education Foundation, Memo: Chris Breiner Scholarship, Piedmont Community College, Attn: PVCC Education Foundation, 501 College Drive, Charlottesville, Va. 22902.
I know that many of you knew Dennis and benefitted from his work and his willingness to help fellow vineyard operators. He will be greatly missed.
Nate Walsh, VVA President