ANGELA GLADYS ARCHIBALD
Angela Gladys Archibald, of Middleburg, Va., known as “Rusty,” died on Aug. 17 after a long battle with lung cancer. She was 88.

Born on Christmas Day in Newmarket, England, Mrs. Archibald grew up in a Thoroughbred racing family. In 1957, she was the first woman to ride as a horse “exercise lad” at the Middleburg Training Center, shortly after her family emigrated from Great Britain by way of Ontario, Canada.

Mrs. Archibald was also a skilled tennis player and was disqualified at Wimbledon in 1934 in a final round because she fibbed about her age and was subsequently too young to compete.

A good-looking redhead, she was given her nickname Rusty by her former husband of 33 years, the late George William Archibald, a steeplechase jockey who rode in the British Grand National six times and whose father rode Meridian, the 1911 Kentucky Derby winner.

Mrs. Archibald’s grandfather, George Blackwell, trained both Sergeant Murphy, winner of the British Grand National in 1923, and Rocksand, winner of the British triple crown flat races and grand-sire of Man o’War.

Her husband, George Archibald, was sent to Northern England to train during World War II, and he tried smuggling Mrs. Archibald in a duffel bag onto the train. However, their plan failed, and Mrs. Archibald left the train and hiked the 50 miles back to Newmarket. Mrs. Archibald later drove an ambulance in England during the war.

In Virginia, Mrs. Archibald worked with Bettina Belmont Ward raising Basenji show dogs before working for Mutual Radio news commentator Fulton Lewis Jr. during the early 1960s. She also worked as a kennel manager at Hazelton Laboratories in Vienna, Va., from 1965 until 1982.

Mrs. Archibald was an active member of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Middleburg, where she volunteered with the FISH Network and the Seven Loaves food ministry, and headed the altar guild for 40 years.

Following a separation from her husband in 1971, she joined Alcoholics Anonymous and went on to help others overcome their similar addictions. Many in AA regarded her not only as a caring and helpful person, but as a heroine. “She was just an amazing person, so positive, so reaching out to people, especially in her church,” said her friend Peter Winants, former editor and publisher of The Chronicle of the Horse. “Even in her later years, she oozed enthusiasm.”

Mrs. Archibald is survived by two children, George Archibald of Alexandria, Va., and Valerie Embrey, of Berryville, Va., and six grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 105 E. Washington St., Middleburg, VA 20117.    Staff


FITZ EUGENE DIXON JR.
Fitz Eugene Dixon Jr., a notable philanthropist and horseman, died Aug. 2 of melanoma. He was 83.

Mr. Dixon, Philadelphia, Pa., was the grandson of the late George D. Widener, who died on the Titanic, and was heir to one of Philadelphia’s largest family fortunes, which was amassed in the streetcar industry. After his uncle’s death in 1971, Mr. Dixon inherited the entire fortune, estimated at more than $300 million.

Mr. Dixon was a graduate of Episcopal Academy (Pa.) and attended Harvard University (Mass.).

Former owner or part-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, Flyers, and Phillies, Mr. Dixon also was well recognized for his benevolent influence on the Philadelphia region. In addition to his generosity to several Philadelphia area institutions of higher education, Mr. Dixon was president of the board of the Widener Memorial School for Handicapped Children. A strong advocate of art and literature, Mr. Dixon was closely affiliated with the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Free Library of Philadelphia, again serving on both organizations’ boards.

Mr. Dixon’s stables included champion Thoroughbreds and sport horses. His Jet Run won individual and team gold at the 1979 Pan American Games and also the 1981 World Cup Finals with Michael Matz. Jet Run was the 1981 American Grandprix Association Horse of the Year and was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame in 1996. His Rhum IV, again with Matz, won team silver at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Over some 50 years, horses owned and bred by the Widener family won more than $9 million in purses, with their Jaipur taking the Belmont Stakes (N.Y.) in 1962.

Mr. Dixon’s daughter Ellin Dixon Miller won the U.S. Dressage Federation Grand Prix national championship in 1981 and was a member of the team that competed in the 1982 World Championships. She was also former president of the USDF.

Mr. Dixon is survived by his wife of 54 years Edith B. Robb Dixon; daughter Ellin Dixon Miller; son George Widener Dixon; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.    Staff


GLENN RAY NOFFSINGER
Glenn Ray Noffsinger, a prominent Virginia veterinarian, died Sept. 1 at Georgetown University Hospital. He was 81.

Dr. Noffsinger was born in Fincastle, Va., and graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute with honors before serving two years in the Army Vet Corp. He graduated from the University of Georgia Veterinary School, and for many years after his graduation Dr. Noffsinger held the highest grade point average of any student graduating from his veterinary school.

He practiced for 45 years and owned hospitals in Springfield, Alexandria and Woodbridge.

Despite the demands of his practice, he devoted his time to the Springfield and Purcellville Rotary Clubs and many humanitarian efforts, including his passion for eliminating polio from throughout the world.

Dr. Noffsinger funded an endowment scholarship at Virginia Tech that will provide full and partial scholarships to aid students requiring financial assistance. In 1998, he was inducted into the John N. Dalton Society, an organization that recognizes a select few for long and distinguished service to Virginia Tech and to the veterinary medicine profession. During Dr. Noffsinger’s presidency of the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association, he was instrumental in securing state support to establish a veterinary school at Virginia Tech.

Upon retirement, he moved to his farm in Middleburg, Va. There he enjoyed raising Thoroughbreds and Angus cattle. Dr. Noffsinger was a member of the Middleburg Baptist Church where he served as a deacon.

Dr. Noffsinger is survived by: his wife Dixie; three children, Dr. Paula Fergusson, John Noffsinger and Carlton Noffsinger; two step-children, Ronald Kirby and Dawn Kirby; five grandchildren; two sisters, Dorothy Etzler, Bernice Thomas; and one brother, Gordon Noffsinger.    Staff


TREASURE ISLAND
Treasure Island, a renowned competitor in many equestrian disciplines over his long career, died July 28 due to complications from colic. He was 31.

Treasure Island first made his name in the steeplechase world in the early 1980s when he won the John Rush Streett Memorial (Md.) and was second in the Arlington Million timber race (Ill). His impressive career included victories in the 1982 and ’83 Grand Nationals (Md.) and the 1982 Radnor Hunt Cup (Pa.).

With Connie Boyce Whitescarver, his owner and rider of 28 years, Treasure Island added hunter championships to his resume. In 1994, he was grand adult amateur champion at the Charleston Summer Classic Horse Show (S.C.) at age 19. He and Whitescarver also qualified for the Marshall & Sterling League Finals at the Washington (D.C.) International Horse Show that same year and qualified for two NAL Finals at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in 1995 and 1997.

In addition, “Ti” and Whitescarver also foxhunted regularly throughout the years.

“He was quite a Renaissance horse,” said Whitescarver. “He was such a character, not at all sentimental. You rode him at his pleasure, only because he allowed you to, because he knew that he was the best horse ever to walk the earth.”    Staff