Unlike his composer brother, James Drury Jr. decided to live away from the spotlight. James Drury --the star of the Western series, "The Virginian" --has died. AJ Kopiak, Jr., 73, died March 30, 2022, in Fairfax, Va. After serving in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, Kopiak joined the Department of State in the late 1980s as a messaging communications officer in the Bureau of Information Resources Management (IRM). His skills were also helpful in getting his most iconic role in "The Virginian." The New York native grew up on his grandfather's ranch in Oregon, where he liked animals and the outdoor lifestyle. It is estimated that over 10.8 million gallons of crude oil spilled into the Sound - killing 100,000 to 250,000 seabirds, over 2,800 sea otters, about 12 river otters, 300 harbor seals, 247 bald eagles, and 22 orcas - as well as an unknown number of salmon and herring. After a year at the Woodrow Wilson School in Princeton, van Heuven served as counselor for Political Affairs at The Hague and then in Bonn; and thereafter as deputy chief of mission at the United Nations Office in Geneva. She is survived by her husband of 38 years, Clifton; children, Abdul, Damion, Clifton III, Corrdell, and London; grandchildren, Quantia, Zane, Damion, Lauren, Makayla, Patience, Dakari, and Autumn; siblings, Alvin Charles (Love), Jackie (Mark), Lynn, and Shani; and a host of extended family members. Actor Drury as he appears in television show, the Virginian. He was 85. But no one has ever been successful with 90 minutes for a Western series except The Virginian. During his career, he served in Washington, Panama City, Coln, Vera Cruz, Mexico City, Rotterdam, New Delhi, Guatemala City, and the Sinai Field Mission. Survivors include his sons Timothy and James Jr. and their respective wives Kate and Kathy; stepchildren Frederick, Gary and Rhonda; four grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren. His maternal grandfather, John Crawford, who had come west with a wagon train from Missouri in 1875 or 1880, taught him woodsman skills and marksmanship and instilled in him the values that Drury said he brought to his Virginian character. He served as a supervising linguist in Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Vietnamese; chairman of the Vietnamese Language Division; chairman of Romance Languages; and chairman of Languages of Europe, Central Asia, Africa and the Americas. James Child Drury - Net Worth March 2023, Salary, Age, Siblings, Bio James Drury, Taciturn Star of 'The Virginian,' Dies at 85 We'll connect you with others who know the person you follow. He concluded his USIA career in Washington as director of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and retired in 1992. Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during James' lifetime. In 1975, she received a masters degree from the University of California at Berkeley. The company was founded by brothers Charles and Jack Drury, who grew up in the Missouri Bootheel town of Kelso. Before his demise, the "The Virginian" alum often shared his earliest memories of being on a horse. He leaves behind a loving wife and two sons. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. It was like doing a movie every week, Drury said in a 2016 interview. James Drury, an actor who starred as the mysterious, black-hatted and unnamed title character in "The Virginian," one of television's longest-running western dramas, died April . For specific questions on submitting an obituary, please contact StateMagazine@state.gov. Number of people James Drury Obituary (1959 - 2008) - Ventura, CA - Legacy.com He also served as a liaison messaging communications officer supporting the Executive Secretariats Operations Center on matters concerning Department telecommunications operations with other government agencies and Foreign Service posts. We believe that every person's story is important as it provides our community with an opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, share their hopes and dreams. Karen. His beloved wife of over 40 years, Carl Ann, passed away in August 2019.