Kent County, Delaware Obituary Collection (Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in Kent County, Delaware.
Many obituaries from Camden, Dover, Smyrna, and surrounding area.
MAGNOLIA - Lawrence Joseph Vanarsdall of Magnolia, died of an aneurysm of the aorta, Wednesday, April 22, 1998, in the Mary Washington Hospital, in Fredericksburg, Va. He was 50.
Mr. Vanarsdall was born in 1947, in Pennsylvania, the son of the late Lawrence W. Vanarsdall and Jessie Mae Vanarsdall.
He was a high school graduate.
Mr. Vanarsdall was an Army veteran.
He was employed at King Cole Canning Co. as a truck driver.
Mr. Vanarsdall enjoyed auto mechanics.
He is survived by his wife, Mollie; three stepsons, Ralph Fisher, Ed Fisher and Michael Wallace; a sister, Margaret Dixon; a brother, Bob Vanarsdall; a nephew, Jimmy Vanarsdall, and his family; and several cousins and their families.
There will be a memorial service at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Dover First Seventh-day Adventist Church, corner of Wyoming Avenue and New Burton Road, Dover, where the Rev. Vladimir Corea will officiate.
Eugene Guilford Northrup, 78
SEAFORD - Eugene Guilford Northrup of Seaford, died of a heart attack Wednesday, April 22, 1998, in Nanticoke Memorial Hospital. He was 78.
Mr. Northrup was born in Clayton, the son of the late Clarence Van and Edna Streeter Northrup.
He was a World War II Army veteran, serving with the 3rd Army 94th Signal Battalion.
Mr. Northrup was a switching technician for Diamond State Telephone Co., retiring in 1983 after 43 years of service.
He was a member of Mount Olivet United Methodist Church; past president of Caesar Rodney Telephone Pioneers; and Scoutmaster of Troop 182, Seaford. He was best known as "Mr. Trainman", having displayed a large model train layout in his home for over 45 years.
Mr. Northrup loved sports, travel and Scottish bagpipe music.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Tessie Phares Northrup; two sons, Bruce A. of Arlington, Mass., and Kevin L. of Raleigh, N.C.; and one brother, C. Vernon Northrup of San Diego, Calif.
Service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, High Street, Seaford, where the Rev. Earle N. Baker will officiate.
Burial will be in the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to Memorial Fund at Mount Olivet United Methodist Church, High Street, Seaford, DE 19973.
Geraldine S. DeLoy, 73
REHOBOTH BEACH - Geraldine S. DeLoy of Rehoboth Beach, died Wednesday, April 22, 1998, in Beebe Medical Center. She was 73.
Mrs. DeLoy was born in 1924 in Rehoboth Beach, the daughter of the late Roland Simpler and Amanda Simpler.
She was a secretary at Delmarva Power Co. for 25 years, retiring in 1982. She was a bookkeeper for Lewes Boat Yard after leaving Delmarva Power Co.
Mrs. DeLoy was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church at 20 Baltimore Avenue.
She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Ralph A. DeLoy; a daughter, Shirley Dawson of Lewes; a son, Michael DeLoy of Milton; two sisters, Goldia Maloney of Florida and Mary Wilson of Rehoboth Beach; a brother, Raymond Simpler of Rehoboth Beach; eight grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
Service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium Atkins-Lodge Chapel, 1449 Kings Highway, Lewes, where friends may call one hour prior to the service.
The Rev. David Baker will officiate.
Burial will be in Epworth Methodist Cemetery, Rehoboth Beach.
The family suggests contributions be made to American Red Cross, 1973 Bay Road, Milford, DE 19963.
Daina L. Tucker, 49
LEWES - Daina L. Tucker of Lewes, formerly of Camden, died of respiratory failure Wednesday, April 22, 1998, in Beebe Medical Center. She was 49.
Mrs. Tucker was born in 1949 in Seattle, Wash., the daughter of George Lobdell of Seattle and the late Norma Lobdell.
In addition to her father, she is survived by a son, Joshua J. Tucker of Hartly; a daughter, Tami I. Tucker of Marydel; a brother, Marty Lobdell of Seattle; a sister, Kathy Blaha of Seattle; and six grandchildren
Service and burial will be private, at the convenience of the family.
Arrangements by Torbert Funeral Chapels.
Elinor Marie Rolph Pryde, 84
SEAFORD - Elinor Marie Rolph Pryde of Seaford, died of heart failure Wednesday, April 22, 1998, in Nanticoke Memorial Hospital. She was 84.
Mrs. Pryde was born in Philadelphia, the daughter of the late Charles Price Rolph Sr. and Elinor Mardt Ralph.
She was a homemaker; many years ago, she worked as a secretary.
Mrs. Pryde was a member of Blades Untied Methodist Church, Blades.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Charles Everett Pryde, in 1976.
She is survived by her nieces and nephews.
Service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Watson-Yates Funeral Home, Front and King St., Seaford, where friends may call one hour prior to the service.
The Rev. Kenneth Huffman will officiate.
Burial will be in Blades Cemetery, Blades.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made in her name to American Cancer Society, Sussex County Unit, 228-C N. DuPont Highway, Georgetown, DE 19947, or to the American Heart Association, Sussex County Chapter, 600 N. DuPont Highway, Georgetown, DE 19947.
William F. Edwards, 49
MAGNOLIA - William F. Edwards of Magnolia, died of a heart attack Tuesday, April 21, 1998, in New Jersey. He was 49.
Mr. Edwards was born in 1949 in Milford, the son of the late Ada Mae and Woodrow Wilson Edwards.
He was a 1967 graduate of Felton High School.
Mr. Edwards served in the U.S. Army, serving two tours in Vietnam during his eight years of service. He separated in 1976, and had achieved the rank of sergeant.
He worked for AIM Transport Inc., Rosedale, Md., where he was employed as an over-the-road driver.
He enjoyed bowling and playing cards.
He is survived by his wife of 23, years Darlene Fuller Edwards; four sons, William J. Edwards, Edward Tripp, Woodrow Lane Edwards and Jan Michael Edwards, all of Magnolia; two daughters, Tina Fuller of Magnolia and Tonya Edwards of Wilmington; three brothers, Allen W. Edwards of Edwardsville, Robert W. Edwards of Fort Worth, Texas, and P. Ronald Edwards of Bel Air, Md.; a foster brother, Walter Smith Edwards of Wyoming; two sisters, Joyce D. Melvin of North Highlands, Calif., and Ruth Thomas of Wyoming; and eight grandchildren.
Service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Pippin Funeral Home, 119 West Camden-Wyoming Avenue, Wyoming, where friends may call from 7-9 p.m. Sunday.
Burial will be in Mount Olive Cemetery, Sandtown.
George P. Durney, 74
DOVER - George P. Durney of Dover, died Tuesday, April 21, 1998, in a boating accident on Silver Lake. He was 74.
Mr. Durney was born in 1923 in Union City, N.J., the son of the late Mary B. Biter and Francis P. Durney. His stepfather was the late Edward D. Biter Sr.
He was a graduate of Dover High School, class of 1941, and immediately entered the U.S. Army Air Forces as a pilot. He flew tours in P-39 fighters and B-17 bombers. He was shot down by enemy aircraft over Austria on Feb.24, 1944, and was a POW for 14 months. He received several decorations for his service, including the Purple Heart.
After World War II, he worked with his stepfather at the Biter family car dealership in Dover. For a brief period, he crop-dusted in California, where he also took college courses.
In 1957, he began his 36-year career at ILC, Dover. During this time, he was a key designer of the Apollo space suits, and eventually became affectionately known as 'father of the space suit.' He was also the product manager of the Inflatable Products Division of ILC, and then became ILC's chief engineer.
In 1993, he was awarded NASA's prestigious Silver Snoopy Award. In 1994, he received the NASA Public Service Award for excellent contributions to the NASA mission.
Mr. Durney's hobbies included golf, fishing and radio-controlled model airplane construction and flying, and was a member of Kent Aeromodelers Association. He was past president of the East Coast Soaring Society and the National Soaring Society. He was an accomplished woodworking craftsman.
He was a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Dover and served two terms on the church vestry.
He was a loving husband, father, brother and grandfather.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Anne Craver of Pennsylvania.
His is survived by his wife of 40 years, Lucy Durney of Dover; son and daughter-in-law, Douglas and Rebecca Durney of Dover; daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and James Cronin of Townsend; two brothers, Edward D. Bite, Jr. of Dover and Cleon J. Biter of Colorado; a sister, Isabel Gonya of Pennsylvania; and four grandchildren, Alyssa and Catherine Durney and Patrick and Shane Cronin.
Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Christ Episcopal Church, State and Water streets, Dover, where friends may call from 6-9 p.m. Friday.
Burial will be in Christ Episcopal Church cemetery.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contribution can be made to the George P. Durney Memorial Fund at Christ Episcopal Church, P. O. Box 1374, Dover, DE 19903.
Arrangements are by Trader Funeral Home, Dover.
Bernice 'Angel' Lamb-Nelson, 57
DOVER - Bernice 'Angel' Lamb-Nelson, formerly of Dover, died Tuesday, April 14, 1998, in New York. She was 57.
Mrs. Lamb-Nelson was born Jan. 31, 1941, in Magnolia, the daughter of Mrs. Ethel Moore and Mr. Charles Petit.
She received her early-childhood education at Booker T. Washington School and graduated from William Henry Comprehensive High School in Dover.
She moved to New York in 1960 and remained there until her death.
She is survived by her mother, Ethel Moore of Dover; a daughter, Sonsera Alford of Yonkers, N.Y.; four sisters, Louise Reed and Dorothy Handy, both of Parksley, Va., and Violet Blackman and Elizabeth Petit, both of Baltimore; three brothers, Leroy Robinson of Newark, N.J., Charles Lamb of Dover and Robert Lamb of Chesapeake, Va.; loving aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins; and a host of friends.
Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Bennie Smith Funeral Home, Dover.
Burial will be in Sharon Hill Memorial Park, Dover.
Lisa Carol Goodnight, 40
SEDALIA, Mo. - Lisa Carol Goodnight of Sedalia, formerly of Dover, Del., died of cancer Sunday, April 19, 1998, in her home. She was 40.
Mrs. Goodnight was born in Woodstock, Va., the daughter of the late Vermont and Dorothy Kelly.
She graduated from Caesar Rodney High School in Camden, Del.
Mrs. Goodnight enjoyed reading, traveling and music. She was a loving mother and grandmother. She enjoyed spending quality time with her children and grandchildren. Ms. Goodnight frequently visited her family in Dover and Virginia.
She was preceded in death by a brother-in-law, Ricky D. Goodnight.
She is survived by her husband, Carl David Goodnight of Dover; two daughters, Amanda Hill and Christina Goodnight, both of Sedalia; three grandchildren, Cheyenne, Cherokee and Raven of Sedalia; one brother, Jerry Kelly of Dover; two sisters; Joyce Ridgley of Edinburg, Va., and Bobby Costello of Dover; four nephews, Christopher Gearhart, Jason Goodnight, Michael L. Costello and Michael Ruff of Dover; and in-laws, Lavern and Al Brown of Dover, Carl Goodnight of Dover, Mr. and Mrs. Diane Ruff of Felton, Del., and Linda C. Goodnight of Dover.
Service will be today at Heckart and Gillespie Funeral Home in Sedalia.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made in her memory to Amanda Hill, 403 W. Hurley Road, Sedalia, MO, 65301.
Doris Finn, 58
DOVER - Doris Finn of Dover, died Tuesday, April 21, 1998, in the Christiana Hospital. She was 58.
Mrs. Finn was a homemaker. She and her husband had owned and operated D&E Crafts in Dover 10 years ago.
She loved bingo, needlepoint, cross-stitch, any art and crafts and any volunteer work to do with either the Sunshine Foundation or any chronically or terminally ill children.
Mrs. Finn was a member of the Harrington Women of the Moose Chapter, American Legion Chapter and American Legion Ladies Auxiliary 14 in Smyrna, and was vice president of the We Care Chapter of the Sunshine Foundation. She was the past president of the Air Force Sergeants Association Ladies Auxiliary.
She is survived by her husband, Ernest H. Finn; and two sisters, Mariana Bartowski and Leana Hockbine, both of Krefeld, Germany.
Service will be private.
Friends may call from 7-9 p.m. at the Torbert Funeral Chapel, Bradford and Reed streets in Dover.
Burial will be private.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to the We Care Chapter of the Sunshine Foundation, P.O. Box 1056, Clayton, DE 19938.
