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.
CAMDEN - Maria S. Gleske of Camden died Sunday, Dec. 20, 1998, in Dover Nursing Center. She was 94.
Mrs. Gleske was born in Hanover, Germany, and moved to this country in 1922. She lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, for a while, but eventually made a permanent home in Beckley, W.Va., as the wife of Herman Gleske.
She and her husband owned and operated a shoe-repair business there for 40 years. They retired to Camden in 1979.
They were members of Holy Cross Catholic Church. They were active members of the Dover Modern Maturity Center, Dover, where she participated in the Meals on Wheels program for a number of years.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 1990.
She is survived by a son, Frank Gleske, and two grandchildren, all of Frederica.
Service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Trader Funeral Home, 12 Lotus St., Dover, where friends may call one hour prior to the service.
Burial will be in Sharon Hills Memorial Park, Dover.
The family suggests contributions be made to Modern Maturity Center of Dover, 1121 Forest Ave., Dover, DE 19904; or to Sloan Kettering Cancer Research.
Benjamin A. Happersett, 76
FEDERALSBURG, Md. - Benjamin A. Happersett, mayor of Federalsburg since 1997, died Saturday, Dec. 19, 1998, in Dorchester General Hospital. He was 76.
Mr. Happersett was born Nov. 9, 1922, in Rock Hall, Kent County, the son of the late Howard Evans Happersett and Louise Casey Ashley Happersett.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, serving in Europe during World War II.
He worked at the former Service Trucking Co.; worked for many years with Sally Ann Bakery of Federalsburg; and had worked for the last few years for Chesapeake Wholesalers floral distributors in Federalsburg, as well as serving as the present mayor of Federalsburg after being elected in April of 1997. He was also a former member of the Federalsburg Town Council. He was a member and past commander of Federalsburg VFW Post 5246.
He has also served as Little League treasurer, was a member and past president of the Idlewild Ruritans, was a member and past president of the Federalsburg Lions Club, and was treasurer of the Marshyhope Fall Festival for the annual Anything Goes Days parades and celebrations which were held in Federalsburg for many years. He and his wife, Betty, were very instrumental in the organization of parades in Federalsburg and surrounding communities for many years. He became known as 'Mr. Parade.'
He was preceded in death by three brothers, James 'Peck' Happersett, Carl R. Happersett and Harry 'Hap' Happersett; and two granddaughters, Debbie Trimble and Christina Standridge.
He is survived by his wife, Betty D'Armi Happersett; five daughters, R. Louise Clayton of Smith Island, Bonnie L. Usilton and Aggie Trimble, both of Chestertown, Brenda Harris of Baltimore and Patricia Standridge of Rock Hall; six grandchildren; two sisters, Betty Patterson of Crumpton and Anna Lee Elbourn of Annapolis; and several nieces and nephews.
Service will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Christ United Methodist Church, Federalsburg, where friends may call one hour prior to the service, with the Rev. Glenn Lyburn and the Rev. Denzil Cheek officiating. Serving as pallbearers will be members of the Federalsburg Police Department.
Friends may call from 7-9 p.m. today at the Framptom-Hawkins-Eskow Funeral Home in Federalsburg, with a service by the V.F.W. at 8 p.m.
Burial will follow in the Eastern Shore Veterans Cemetery, Beulah.
The family suggests contributions be made in his memory to the Caroline County Chapter of the American Heart Association, c/o Mrs. Meredith, 218 Greenridge Road, Federalsburg, MD 21632.
Charles W. Johnson, 24
GEORGETOWN - Charles W. Johnson of Georgetown died of injuries received in an automobile accident Sunday, Dec. 20, 1998, at the scene of the accident in Wake County, N.C. He was 24.
Mr. Johnson was born Jan. 21, 1974, in Lewes, the son of Raymond C. Johnson and Lucille F. Ortiz, both of Georgetown.
He was an installer of communications cables.
In addition to his parents, he is survived his stepfather, Nelson E. Ortiz of Georgetown; two brothers, Raymond M. Leyanna of Zebulon, N.C., and David Johnson of Lewes; a sister, Bonnie Hensley of Laurel; his paternal grandparents, Raymond Moore and Barbara Johnson, both of Oak Orchard; and two grandparents, Linda Thompson and Shannon Thompson, both of Georgetown.
Service will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at Dodd-Carey Chapel of Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, 307 N. Bedford St., Georgetown, with the Rev. Richard Vance officiating.
Friends may call at the funeral home chapel two hours prior to the service.
Burial will be in Hollywood Cemetery, Harrington.
Raevyn Jones, newborn
MILFORD - Raevyn Jones of Milford died as a result of premature birth Saturday, Dec. 19, 1998, in Christiana Hospital, Newark. She was a newborn.
She is survived by her parents, Royal Jones and Gail Bogard, both of Milford; a sister, Destiny Jones of Milford; maternal grandparents, Villard Bogard of Lincoln and Helena Williams of Milford; paternal grandmother, Carolise of Ahoskie, N.C.; a great-grandmother, Pearl Pitts of Milford; and uncles, aunts and cousins.
Service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Young's Funeral Homes, 309 North St., Milford.
Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Milford.
Helen Harris Lassahn, 83
CHESTERTOWN, Md. - Helen Harris Lassahn of Heron Point, Chestertown, died of Alzheimer's disease, with which she had been ill for 11 years, Friday, Dec. 18, 1998, in her home, peacefully during an afternoon nap. She was 83.
Mrs. Lassahn was born at Howell Point Farm, near Betterton, the son of the late Arthur L. Harris and Evelyn Bockmiller Harris. All her siblings also were born on the farm, where the family lived for many years. Much of the farm was devoted to 40,000 pear trees.
Older Kent County residents may remember Evelyn Harris as the author of the book 'The Barter Lady,' in which she wrote of the fun and the hard work that went with living on a farm. Money was scarce, and may necessities were obtained by means of bartering.
Mrs. Lassahn graduated from Mary Washington College in Virginia in 1936.
She taught school in Virginia for three years, then moved to Baltimore, where she became a district supervisor for the city Recreation Department.
Mrs. Lassahn married Louis K. Lassahn, a teacher at City College, Baltimore, in Baltimore in 1954.
They enjoyed entertaining, playing cards and camping.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband in 1987; and two brothers, Arthur L. Harris Jr. and John Baynard Harris.
She is survived by two sisters, Sarah Harris Fallowfield and Ruth Harris Bartlett; and nephews and nieces, Arthur 'Buzz' Harris, Anne Harris, Sara A. Fallowfield Weber, Bill Fallowfield, Mary S. Fallowfield Richardson, Ronnie Sussman, Richard Bartlett and Christopher Bartlett.
Service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, 130 Speer Road, Chestertown.
Burial will be private.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimer's Association, PO Box 223, Salisbury, MD 21802-2233.
Hazel J. Marshall, 90
SMYRNA - Hazel J. Marshall of Smyrna died Sunday, Dec. 20, 1998, in the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill, Smyrna. She was 90.
Mrs. Marshall was born Oct. 16, 1908, in Nova Scotia, Canada, the daughter of the late Austin Brown and Laura Marshall.
She was a homemaker.
Mrs. Marshall was a member of the Forest Grove Seventh-day Adventist Church, Dover; and a member of the Mamie A. Warren Senior Center between Kenton and Clayton.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Marshall, in 1967.
She is survived by two sisters, Ina Grace Mackie of Middletown, Nova Scotia, and Addie Bloise of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Service will be noon Wednesday in the Forest Grove Seventh-day Adventist Church, 4950 Cheswold-Pearsons Corner Road, Dover, where friends may call one hour prior to the service.
Burial will be in the adjoining cemetery.
Arrangements by Faries Funeral Directors Inc., Smyrna.
Lewis Charles Mattison, 90
CHESTERTOWN, Md. - Lewis Charles Mattison of Chestertown died Thursday, Dec. 3, 1998, in his home. He was 90.
Mr. Mattison was born Sept. 30, 1908, in Anderson, S.C.
He was a retired naval officer and career diplomat with the U.S. State Department.
He was a graduate of the architecture program at the University of Virginia in the 1930s, where he began his professional interests in architecture, design and typography. He founded and edited the magazine 'Cavalier.' We was a member of Scarab, a national architectural professional fraternity; and a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
Mr. Mattison served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific during World War II, and continued with the U.S. Naval Reserve after the war. He served as senior air controller with the First Marine Air Wing on Guadalcanal during 1942-43. His service included assignments in the Senior Fighter Director Office of the First Marine Air Wing; training of New Zealand Air Force crews in the deployment of radar to support air combat fighter control; executive officer for Argus Training Detachment in Port Hueneme, Calif; and trainer of amphibious assault teams. Mr. Mattison assisted in the development and application of electronic warfare for both land-and carrier-based radar communications to support air fighter directions and tactics. His service included assignments on staff with Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet; the Pacific Fleet Radar Center; and the Chief of Naval Operations on developments regarding electronic warfare and radar communications. For his service, he was awarded the Silver Star, the Presidential Unit Citation and two personal commendations from Adm. Nimitz.
After the war, he participated as an appointee on several programs of the Navy, and he co-founded AERO - the Association of Electronic Reserve Officers. He served as a staff member of the President's Committee on International Information Activities (Jackson Committee) in 1953, and directed the committee's external communications. Recommendations from the Jackson Committee helped form the U.S. Information Agency, a branch of the U.S. State Department. Mr. Mattison joined USIA in 1954, where he participated in various assignments until his retirement in 1970. Among his early work at USIA, he was deputy assistant director for Latin American from 1954-1956, and relocated to Manila as the deputy director, later as director, of USIA operations in the Philippines. He also completed assignments as director for USIA operations in Finland from 1962-1964. Mr Mattison returned to the USIA in Washington, D.C., as business affairs adviser responsible for guiding USIA international-media strategy pertaining to American business, trade, foreign-investment and private-sector programs. He retired to a private life of writing and travel in 1970.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Natalie Rush Berlin.
He is survived by three children, Charles Rush, Joanna Reed and Michael Vandiver; two grandchildren, Jamin and Willow; and two great-grandchildren, Sophie and Hannah.
Burial will be Wednesday in Arlington National Cemetery.
Arrangements by Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, Chestertown.
Ronald Stanley Morris, 58
HARRINGTON - Ronald Stanley Morris of Harrington died Sunday, Dec. 20, 1998, in Milford Memorial Hospital, Milford. He was 58.
Mr. Morris was born July 30, 2940, in Ridgely, Md., the son of the late Elwood Stanley and Kathryn Thawley Morris.
He attended Coyne Electronics School, Chicago, and Wesley College, Dover.
Mr. Morris had served in the Maryland National Guard.
He had worked at I.L.C. Industries Space Suit Division, Frederica, as an expediter; and then, had worked with computers at Bob's Glass and Mirror, Dover.
Mr. Morris was a member of the United Methodist Church of Ingleside, Md.
He is survived by three sisters, Yvonne Thomas of Cheswold, Kay Morris Sweeney of Chestertown, Md., and Beverly Crouse Wade of Bridgetown, Md.; and many nieces and nephews.
Service will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the Fleegle & Helfenbein Funeral Home P.A., 106 W. Sunset Ave., Greensboro, Md.
Friends may call from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
Burial will be in Greensboro Cemetery, Greensboro.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to a charity of one's choice.
Helen Holliday Poore, 89
DUNWOODY, Ga. - Helen Holliday Poore of Dunwoody, and formerly of Frederica, Del., died Sunday, Dec. 20, 1998, in Roswell Nursing Home, Roswell, Ga. She was 89.
Mrs. Poore was a homemaker.
She had been a member of the Milford Church of God, Milford, Del.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Louis Holliday Sr. and Annie Stanton Holliday; and her husband, Harold Poore, in 1990.
She is survived by a daughter, Helen Rice of Dunwoody; a brother, Bradford Holliday of Frederica; and two granddaughters.
Service will be 1 p.m. today in the Chapel of Berry-Short Funeral Home, Main Street, Felton, Del.
Burial will be in in Barratt's Chapel Cemetery, Frederica.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Milford Church of God, Milford, DE 19963, or to Frederica United Methodist Church, Frederica, DE 19946.
Burton E. 'Butch' Russell, 54
BRIDGEVILLE - Burton E. 'Butch' Russell of near Bridgeville died as the result of a fire Sunday, Dec. 20, 1998, in his home. He was 54.
Mr. Russell was born Nov. 24, 1944, in Oak Orchard, the son of Granville 'Toby' Russell and the late Marjorie Blades Russell, who died in 1990.
He grew up in Federalsburg, Md., and attended Federalsburg High School.
Mr. Russell worked for E. I. du Pont de Nemours Co. in Seaford.
He was divorced.
In addition to his father, he is survived by a daughter, Sherry Hastings of Bridgeville; a sister, Dorothy Adams of Federalsburg; a brother, Robert L. Cordrey of Greenwood; and two grandchildren.
Service will be 3 p.m. Wednesday at Williamson Funeral Home, 311 S. Main St., Federalsburg, with the Rev. Denzil Cheek officiating.
Friends may call at the funeral home one hour prior to the service.
Burial will be in Bethel Cemetery, Federalsburg, following the service.
