G.L. Bilyeu, Hopewell newsman, dies at 75

HOPEWELL -- Granville Lee "Hank" Bilyeu, sports editor of The Hopewell News, began a 50-year career at the newspaper while serving in the Army at Fort Lee.

Rising from reporter to news editor and managing editor, the Krum, Texas, native later found his niche as sports editor.

He was an unabashed fan of local teams, sending flowers to the girls' players for a good game or buying dinner for the boys.

He garnered the 2003 Virginia High School Coaches Association's Marshall Johnson News Media Award. Named for retired Associated Press sports editor Marshall Johnson, the award is given annually to a reporter whose work has contributed to high school athletics. He also won many honors from the Virginia Press Association.

Despite years of declining health, Mr. Bilyeu was a regular at local sporting events. He even worked from his hospital bed.

"There were definitely times Hank was reporting at a game when I thought he should have stayed home or not covered the game, but that was his attitude," said Bill Littlepage, former Hopewell basketball coach and athletic director.

The 75-year-old editor, named Citizen of the Year for Hopewell-Prince George in 2003, died Tuesday at John Randolph Medical Center in Hopewell.

A funeral will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church, 401 N. 2nd Ave. in Hopewell. Burial will be in Appomattox Cemetery in Hopewell.

Much honored for his community work, Mr. Bilyeu had served on the board of the Hopewell Emergency Crew, had worked at a Petersburg shelter for the homeless, visited veterans in the hospital and tutored young people in math.

He was a licensed minister of the Church of the Nazarene and a member of First Congregational Christian Church, the Pilot House and the Salvation Army.

Survivors include a daughter, Cheryl Buhl of Franklin, Tenn.; three sons, Gary David Bilyeu of Davidsonville, Md., Guy Samuel Bilyeu of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Scott Christopher Bilyeu of Parker, Colo.; a brother, Russell Bilyeu of Chico, Texas; a sister, Theopal Reed of Krum, Texas; and three grandchildren.