William Hutson Salley, 99, died peacefully on Tuesday, June 10, 2014. The son of William Hutson Salley and Helen Lydia Nowell, he was born in Newport News, Virginia, on February 25, 1915. Both his parents died when he was very young, and Mr. Salley was raised by his aunt and uncle, Emma Legare Salley and Nathan Evans in Marion, South Carolina. He was pre-deceased by his wife, Sallie Bailey Heyward Salley, in 1988. Mr. Salley is survived by his son, William Hutson Salley, Jr., (Janet) and daughters Elizabeth Salley Mendez (Hedley) and Natalie Salley Weber(William), grandson, Matthew Farrell Mendez (Melissa) and granddaughter Carol Elizabeth Minter (Patrick). He is also survived by three greatgrandsons, Hutson Matthew Mendez, Colin Christopher Minter and Eli Benjamin Minter. He attended The Citadel and later travelled the world on merchant vessels. As a young midshipman, Mr. Salley survived the grounding and break-up of the cargo ship "Bessemer City" during a voyage from New Westminster to London. He later joined the Merchant Marines, serving with distinction during WWII. Upon returning to Newport News with his bride, Mr. Salley worked briefly at Newport News Shipbuilding and in the real estate rental business with Winks Von Schilling before embarking on a successful career with the real estate firm of Harrison and Lear. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Hampton and its Men's Bible Class, and he was a former member and president of the Hampton Rotary Club. During his retirement years, Mr. Salley was a volunteer docent at the Mariner's Museum as well as the Casement Museum on Historic Ft. Monroe. Mr. Salley was well known for his cheerful and optimistic outlook on life and could always be counted on for a good joke. Interment will be private. The family will receive visitors at the Weber residence, 60 Hampton Roads Avenue, on Saturday, June 14, from 3 to 6 p.m. Special recognition is given to his physician, Dr. Bobbie Sperry, and to the staff of The Devonshire for their loving care of Mr. Salley for the past nine years.