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.
TOWNSEND - Albert K. Daniels Sr. of Townsend died Wednesday April 1, 1998, in the Christiana Hospital of an apparent heart attack. He was 72.
Mr. Daniels retired from Smith & Douglas Fertilizer Co. in Clayton.
He was a Navy veteran of World War II.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Elizabeth; four sons, Albert K. Jr. of Townsend, John of Dover, Nick of Clayton, and Jeff of Crumpton, Md.; five daughters, May Holleger of Felton, Rebecca Ross of Georgetown, Sally E. Missimer of Elkton, Md., Ida Simmons of Clayton, and Margie Meekins of Chestertown, Md.; 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Burial was in the Sharon Hills Cemetery, West Dover.
Nettie MacDougall, 71
FELTON - Nettie MacDougall of Felton died of cancer Tuesday, April 7, 1998, in her home. She was 71.
Mrs. MacDougall was born in Hazlettville, daughter of the late Benjamin and Lottie Reed.
She was a homemaker.
Mrs. MacDougall was a member of the First Baptist Church, Frederica.
She loved reading and gardening.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Rodney Lee, in 1994.
She is survived by two sons, Rodney L. MacDougall Jr. of Dover and Martin L. MacDougall of Frederica; three daughters, Sandy Knauer of Middletown, Cassie Rowley of Sandtown and Annette S. McClaine of Frederica; a brother, Herbie Reed of Hazlettville; and nine grandchildren.
Service will be 11 a.m. Friday at the Torbert Funeral Chapel, Bradford and Reed streets, Dover, where friends may call one hour prior to the service.
Burial will be in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, Camden.
Brenda Barnes, 37
REHOBOTH - Brenda Barnes of Rehoboth died of heart failure Sunday, April 5, 1998, in the Beebe Medical Center, Lewes. She was 37.
Ms. Barnes was born in Wilson, N.C.
She was employed as a domestic worker.
Ms. Barnes was a member of the Soul Saving Station, Rehoboth.
She is survived by a son, Tyquan Foster; two daughters, Letanya Foster of Wilson, N.C., and Cynthia Barnes of Coolspring; her mother, Ada M. Barnes of Rehoboth; four brothers, Jasper L. Barnes of Brooklyn N.Y., Tony Melvin of Wilson, N.C. Douglas Poole of Kinston, N.C., Douglas Simmons of N.C.; three sisters, Faye Woodard, Cheryl Barnes, and Cynthia Artis, all of Wilson; a maternal grandparent, Adeline Hardy of Lewes; two grandchildren; two aunts; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and uncles.
Service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at the Philadelphia Pentecostal Church, Ellendale, where friends may call two hours prior to the service.
Burial will be in the Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery, Lewes.
Arrangements by the Young's Funeral Homes, North Street, Milford.
Edward Joseph Paslawski, 73
MILLSBORO - Edward Joseph Paslawski of Millsboro, formerly of Philadelphia, died Tuesday, April 7, 1998. He was 73.
Mr. Paslawski was born in Philadelphia.
He was an U.S. Army veteran of World War II.
Mr. Paslawski was employed as a pressman with Container Corporation of America.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Rose T.; two sons, Edward and Jim; a daughter, Eva Jefferies of Lewes; and five grandchildren.
Services will be private.
Arrangements by the Melson Funeral Services, Long Neck.
William Howard Davidson, 77
OCEAN VIEW - William Howard Davidson of Ocean View died of cancer Tuesday, April 7, 1998, in his home. He was 77.
Mr. Davidson was born in Dagsboro, son of the late William B. and Helen Long Davidson.
He was employed as a poultry farmer and was owner and operator of a corn grinding and feed mill operation.
Mr. Davidson was a member of the St. George's U.M. Church, Clarksville.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Ruth Marie Davidson; a son, Douglas O. Davidson of Lewes; a daughter, Gail A. Biddle of Glenn Dale, Md.; three sisters, Amelia Lynch and Margaret Morris, both of Dagsboro and Marian Quillen of Frankford; a brother, Eugene Davidson of Dagsboro; three grandsons; and a granddaughter.
Service will be 1 p.m. Friday at the chapel of Melson Funeral Services, Frankford, where friends may call 7-9 p.m. Thursday. The Rev. Ruth Tull will officiate.
Burial will be in the St. George's Cemetery, Clarksville.
Flowers are acceptable.
Robert E. Beck, 79
REHOBOTH BEACH - Robert E. Beck of Rehoboth Beach died of chronic obstructive lung disease Sunday, April 5, 1998, in the Lewes Convalescent Center. He was 79.
Mr. Beck was born in Jersey City, N.J.
He was an Army veteran of World War II, serving as staff sergeant.
Mr. Beck was employed as a carpenter in New Jersey and as superintendent of construction in home building; as a stable manager in Basking Ridge, N.J., and was with the Somerset County Park Commission for about 14 years.
He was a member of the N.J. Professional Horseman's Association.
He is survived by his wife, Helen J. of Rehoboth Beach.
Service will be 3 p.m. Monday at the Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Kings Highway, Lewes, where friends may call two hours prior to the service.
Burial will be in the Delaware Veterans Cemetery, Bear.
Earl R. Fenton, 64
ANDOVER, Ohio - Earl R. Fenton of Andover, formerly of Wilmington, Del., died Wednesday, April 8, 1998, in his home. He was 64.
Mr. Fenton was born in Bloomfield, son of the late Thomas and Amelia Fenton.
He was an Army veteran in Germany during the Korean Conflict.
Mr. Fenton was employed with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks for over seven years and with the Delaware State Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Parks for over 29 years, retiring in 1991.
He was a member of the First U.M. Church , Andover, and of the Fort Delaware Society, Wilmington, Del.
Mr. Fenton enjoyed fishing, gardening and nurturing all species of birds.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers.
He is survived by his wife, Marjorie E. Fenton of Andover; two daughters, Gail L. Cochoff of Bainbridge and Donna L. Neff of Quarryville, Pa.; a sister, Marguerite Pitzer of New Castle, Pa.; a half brother, Ronald Spate of Copperas Cove, Texas; a half sister, Jean Drivere of Middlesex, Pa.; two granddaughters, Katrina Cochoff of Bainbridge and Haley Neff of Quarryville, Pa.; and a grandson, Christopher Cochoff.
Service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the Baumgardner Funeral Home, Andover. The Rev. Jeffrey W. Stoll will officiate.
Friends may call 7-9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service.
Robert T. 'Bob' Coffin, 64
SELBYVILLE - Robert T. 'Bob' Coffin of Selbyville died Wednesday April 8, 1998, in his home. He was 64.
Mr. Coffin was born in Willards, Md., son of the late Calvin Joseph and Catherine Gordy Coffin.
He was an U.S. Army veteran.
Mr. Coffin was employed as a manager of Selbyville Food Rite, Selbyville for over 30 years, retiring in 1996.
He is survived by his wife, Jean, of Selbyville; two sons, David B. of Lewes and Kenneth T. of Selbyville; a daughter, Patricia Ann Sheppard of Selbyville; a brother, Frank E. of Willards, Md.; a sister, Rosalie C. Littleton of Gumboro; two grandsons, Michael and Matthew Coffin.
Service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the Hastings Funeral Home, South Main Street, Selbyville, where friends may call one hour prior to the service. Richard D. Lort will officiate.
Burial will be in the New Hope Cemetery, Willards, Md.
The family suggests contributions to the Delaware Hospice, 600 Dupont Highway, Georgetown, DE 19947.
Michael C. Ferguson, 42
SMYRNA - Michael C. Ferguson of Smyrna died of cancer Thursday April 9, 1998, in Christiana Hospital. He was 42.
Mr. Ferguson was a graduate of Clyde-Savannah High School, Clyde, N.Y., and a 1977 graduate of the State University of N.Y. at Genesco, where he majored in political science and sociology. He was an adjunct faculty member at the University of Delaware where he annually taught a graduate course on the state budget process, and earlier in his career had been a teaching assistant. He earned a master's degree in public administration at the University of Delaware.
He was a uniquely qualified educational manager who held key positions for two governors and was recognized for his bipartisan analytical savvy and fiscal expertise. From 1990-1994, he served Gov. Mike Castle and subsequently Gov. Tom Carper, as state budget director, after serving as Castle's deputy chief of staff for two years. As budget director, he led a staff of 200 and managed operating budgets and capital improvements programs of over $300 million. Previous to joining Castle's staff, he was a senior fiscal and policy analyst in the Office of the Budget, with responsibility for oversight of all public and higher education operating and capital budgets.
From 1979-1985, he was a senior planner with the city of Wilmington, responsible for zoning review, policy development and capital budgeting.
In 1994, Gov. Carper appointed him deputy state superintendent at the Department of Public Instruction to assist Superintendent Pat Forgione Jr. When Forgione left the state to work for the federal government, Michael Ferguson was appointed interim state superintendent. In that leadership role, he sustained the state's standards based reform effort through its early developmental phase with brilliant financial management and sound accounting practice. In addition, he was instrumental in the creation of the Delaware Department of Education, and as Deputy Secretary of Education he provided crucial fiscal and regulatory expertise to the Department's first Secretary of Education, Dr. Iris T. Metts. He was also instrumental in guiding the Carper administration's education reforms through the general assembly including such landmark initiatives as charter schools, school choice and the Delaware State Testing Program.
Most recently, he helped craft the administration's education accountability package which is pending in the general assembly.
Mr. Ferguson enjoyed NASCAR racing, music, the beach, rollerblading, camping, and working on his Toyota Land Cruiser.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Marion Turnquest Ferguson.
He is survived by his wife, Sue Elaine Ferguson; three daughters, Cory, 13, Alyson, 10, and Paige, 7, all of Smyrna; his parents, Richard H. and Patricia A. Ferguson of Victor, N.Y.; two brothers, Steven Ferguson and Shawn Ferguson of Clyde, N.Y.; two sisters, Marcia Bachre of Lockport, N.Y., and Colleen Aldrich of Clyde, N.Y.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 631 S. State St., Dover.
Friends may call from 6-9 p.m. Saturday at Torbert Funeral Chapel, Bradford and Reed streets, Dover.
Burial will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, Dover.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 7, Dover, DE 19903-0007.
Mary Virginia DeHaven, 76
HARRINGTON - Mary Virginia DeHaven of Harrington, formerly of Wilmington, died of heart failure Wednesday April 8, 1998, in Harbor Health Center, Lewes. She was 76.
Mrs. DeHaven as born in Wilmington, the daughter of the late Walter M. and Fannie A. Hammond Sr.
She operated a beauty shop for many years in the Bellefonte and Holly Oak areas during her early years.
Mrs. DeHaven, while residing in the Harbor Health Center, was extremely active in all social activities and was president of the Patients Council Organization.
She also did volunteer clerical work for the University of Delaware Biology Department. She was also a member of the Clowns of Delaware.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dave DeHaven in 1968.
She is survived by a brother, Walter M. Hayman Jr. of Wilmington; a sister, Pauline Brannock of Harrington, and several nephews and nieces.
Service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Melvin Funeral Home, in Harrington, where friends may call one hour prior to the service.
Burial will be in Gracelawn Memorial Park, Wilmington.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to the American Diabetes Association, 4 Mainsail Drive, Milton, DE 19968, or to the American Heart Association of Delaware, Inc., P.O.Box 1977, Dover, DE 19903.
