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.
LEWES - Mamie E. Reese of Lewes died of heart failure Saturday, May 2, 1998, in her home. She was 80.
Mrs. Reese was born in Philadelphia, the daughter of the late Samuel and Mary Peirson.
She was a homemaker. She was also owner and president of R & H Filter Co., Georgetown.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Francis Reese, 1987.
She is survived by a brother, David Peirson of Newark and a sister, Millicent Shult of Charleston, S.C.
Graveside service will be 1 p.m. Tuesday in St. Peter's Episcopal Cemetery, Pilottown Road, Lewes.
Instead of flowers the family suggests contributions be made to the local Humane Society.
Arrangements by Melson Funeral Services, Long Neck Road
Joseph L. Wright, 72
MILFORD - Joseph L. Wright of Milford died of complications of leukemia Sunday, May 17, 1998, in Milford Memorial Hospital. He was 72.
Mr. Wright attended the General Motors Institute in Flint, Mich.
He was founder and past president of Wright's Auto Parts in Milford and Bridgeville for 26 years, retiring in 1988. Before entering the NAPA Auto Parts business, he and his father, John L. Wright owned and operated Wright's Pontiac in Milford for many years.
He was a U.S. Navy electrician 2nd class during World War II.
Mr. Wright enjoyed camping with his family and playing golf in the M.I.S.G.A. Golf Association.
He served on the Milford School Board and was involved in the construction of the Polytech Vocational School, Woodside, where he served as an original school member. He was a charter member of Shawnee Country Club in Milford; a member of the Holiday Ramblers Travel Club; a member and past president of the Diamond State Twirlers Square Dancing Club; and a member of Milford VFW Blue Hen Post 6483.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Helen Steward Wright, in 1998.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Gladys S. Wright; a son-in-law, Curtis S. Wright and his wife Vera F. of Lewes; a daughter, Deborah L. Dixon and her husband, Dennis O. Dixon of Felton; and a step-grandaughter Amy Dixon of Wyoming.
Service will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at Lofland Funeral Home, 102 Lakeview Ave., Milford.
Friends may call 7-9 p.m. today at the funeral home.
Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Milford.
Instead of flowers the family suggests contributions be made to Calvary United Methodist Church, 301 S.E. Front St., Milford, DE 19963 or the Leukemia Society of America, Delaware Chapter, 100 W. 10th St., Wilmington, DE 19801.
William 'Billy' R. Owens, 57
KITTS HUMMOCK - William 'Billy' R. Owens of Kitts Hummock died Wednesday, May 13, 1998, in his home. He was 57.
Mr. Owens was born in 1941 in Dover, the son of the late Frances and Edith Owens.
He was a mechanic for Schaefer Lincoln-Mercury for 10 years. He also worked for Winner Ford for 10 years.
Mr. Owens was a veteran of the Navy.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman who went after big game on trips to Quebec and Ontario, Canada.
Mr. Owens was an honorary member of the Fraternal Order of Police, a member of the National Rifle Association, and American Hunters.
He is survived by his wife, Susan Marie Owens of Kitts Hummock; six children, Tina Marie Owens of Georgia, Billy Owens Jr. of Florida, Michelle Burkholden of Indiana, and Michael Boyer, Karen Sprow and Jeffery Boyer, all of Pennsylvania; three sisters, Barbara Lee Mitchell of Ocean View, Vicki Sue Osborne of Dover and Cathy Seely of Florida; a brother, Ricky Owens of Dover; an aunt, Alice 'Aunt Al' Keiser, and nine grandchildren.
Service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Torbert Funeral Chapel, Bradford and Reed streets, Dover, where friends may call one hour prior to the service.
Instead of flowers the family suggests donations be made in memory of William 'Billy' Owens to Compassionate Care Hospice, 266 Chapman Road, Suite 21-A, Newark, DE 19702.
Christian D. Dunham, 1 day
DOVER - Christian D. Dunham of Dover died Thursday, May 14, 1998, in Kent General Hospital. He was one day old.
Christian was the son of David and Jane Dunham of Dover.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by a brother, Devan A. Dunham of Dover; maternal grandparents, Calvin and Zenaida Culp of Mildenhall R.A.F., U.K. and Olympio Ignas of Manilla, Philippines; paternal grandparents, Donald and Bernadette Medlin of North Carolina; paternal great-grandmother, Mildred Bialy of Circleville, Ohio; and nine uncles, Daniel Dunham and his wife, Holly, of Richmond, Va., Shawn Dunham and his wife, Michelle, of Roanoke, Va., Jeff Dunham of Goldsboro, N.C.; Patrick Dunham of Sedona Ariz., Lee Ignas of Sacramento, Calif. and Calvin Culp, Jr. of Mildenhall R.A.F.
Service will be noon Saturday at Dover Air Force Base Chapel 2, Lebanon Road.
Paul L. Coverdale, 82
FREDERICA - Paul L. Coverdale of Frederica died Wednesday, May 13, 1998, in Christiana Hospital. He was 82.
Mr. Coverdale was the son of the late Henry B. and Anna Maag Coverdale.
He was a long time auto mechanic in the Dover area working for Bolan Motors, Coverdale's Auto Air Conditioning and Delaware Auto Sales.
Mr. Coverdale was in the U.S. Army during World War II and received the Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, two Bronze Stars with arrowhead, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
He enjoyed fishing in his spare time.
He was a member of the Clayton V.F.W. and the American Legion Walter L. Fox Post 2 in Dover. Mr. Coverdale was also a member of the Smyrna Masonic Lodge.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Sarah Stevens Coverdale of Frederica; a son, Edmond B. Coverdale of Elkton, Md.; a sister, Paulena C. O'Neal of Clayton; and a brother, Harry Coverdale of Stockley.
Service will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at Trader Funeral Home, 12 Lotus St., Dover, where friends may call one hour prior to service.
Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Milford.
Family suggest contributions made to Christiana Heart Center in Care of Christiana Hospital, Newark.
Minister Sarah C. Paul, 77
BREWTON, Ala. - Minister Sarah C. Paul of Brewton, died Monday, May 4, 1998 in a Pensacola Hospital, Fla. She was 77.
Mrs. Paul was born 1920, the daughter of the late Leslie and Georgia Jones.
She was a spiritual leader of the Spiritual True Holiness Church of God, Brewton. She was called into the ministry on Easter Sunday in 1952. She retired from D.W. McMilliam Hospital after 19 years of service.
Mrs. Paul was very active in many community activities, including the Brewton Nutrition Center, where she was selected community volunteer of the year, the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, a volunteer reading teacher with the adult program at Jefferson Davis Jr. College, treasurer of the Oak Grove Cemetery Committee Bible Study Organization, a volunteer at the hospital from which she retired, and a pastor and overseer of the Spiritual True Holiness Church of God.
She is survived by her devoted husband of 59 years, Robert Paul of Brewton; eight children, Edith Coleman and her husband, James, of St. Louis, Winifred Colman and her husband, Fred, of St. Louis, Brunettte Manning of Albany, Ga., James Paul and his wife, Dalmecia, of Los Angeles, Broncile Deere of Brewton, John Paul and his wife, Dorothy, of Brewton, Joyce Buie of Irvington, N.J., and Doreen Watson and her husband, Keith, of Dover, Del.; 19 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; five sisters, three brothers, an aunt and a host of in-laws, cousins and other relatives also a community and surrounding communities of lives that she touched in some way.
Service was held on Saturday, May 9, at the Spiritual True Holiness Church of God.
Burial was in Oak Grove Cemetery, Brewton.
Arrangements by Presley-Fluker Funeral Directors, Brewton.
Christine M. Sharp, 58
SMYRNA - Christine M. Sharp of Smyrna died Wednesday, May 13, 1998, in Kent General Hospital, Dover. She was 58.
Miss Sharp was born in Philadelphia, the daughter of the late Charles M. Sharp and Elsie M. Kozempel Sharp.
She was a 1958 graduate of John Bassett Moore High School, Smyrna.
Miss Sharp was employed at the Dover Branch of Wilmington Trust bank and later she was promoted to head teller and moved to the Smyrna branch when it opened.
She is survived by a sister, Charlotte M. Fico, of Rochester, N.Y.; a nephew Dominic V. Fico of Rochester, N.Y.; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Service will be 11 a.m. Monday at St. Polycarp's Catholic Church, Ranson Lane and South Street, Smyrna.
Friends may call 7-9 p.m. Sunday and 10-10:45 a.m. Monday at Mathew-Bryson Funeral Home, 123 W. Commerce St., Smyrna.
Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Smyrna.
Contributions may be made to the American Heart Association of Delaware, Kent County Division, P.O. Box 1977, Dover, DE 19903 or the American Diabetes Association, 110 S. French St., Wilmington, DE 19801.
Dorothy W. Perry, 76
MILFORD - Dorothy W. Perry of Milford died of cancer Saturday, May 16, 1998, in her home. She was 76.
Mrs. Perry was a telephone operator for Farmers Bank in Georgetown for 12 years before retiring in 1984.
She loved to work outside and around her home. She was a loving wife and friend.
She is survived by her husband of 25 years, James E. Perry Sr.; two brothers, Charles 'Cap' Wilkins of Georgetown and Robert Wilkins of Frederica; and a sister, Margaret Wilkins of Georgetown.
Service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Lofland Funeral Home, 102 Lakeview Ave., Milford, where friends may call one hour prior to service.
Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery, U.S. 113, Milford.
Jane H. Robinson, 76
SEAFORD - Jane H. Robinson of Seaford, and formerly of Georgetown, died of a long illness Saturday, May 16, 1998 in her home. She was 76.
Mrs. Robinson was born in 1921, in Georgetown.
She was a homemaker.
Mrs. Robinson was a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Georgetown, and she was also a member of the Seaford Senior Center.
She was preceded by her husband, George W. Robinson Jr., in 1975.
She is survived by two daughters, Sally R. Carney of Bethany Beach and Mary Jane Hudson of Seaford; six grandsons and seven great-grandchildren.
Service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Parsell Funeral Homes, where friends may call one hour prior to the service. The Rev. Doug Albert will officiate.
Contributions can be made to Delaware Hospice, Southern Division, Georgetown.
Willard J. Fitzgerald, 81
REHOBOTH BEACH - Willard J. Fitzgerald of Rehoboth Beach died Sunday, May 17, 1998 in Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Salisbury, Md. He was 81.
Mr. Fitzgerald was born July 13, 1916, in Claymont, the son of the late Floyd Fitzgerald and Annie Bunch.
He attended Philadelphia College of the Bible.
Mr. Fitzgerald worked for Sun Oil Co. as a lab technician for 33 years.
He was a World War II veteran in the Army Air Corps, he served in the Grand Support in 412 Fighter Squad, he served as a staff sergeant in the Army Air Force Ground Support in European Theatre.
Mr. Fitzgerald was a member of Brandywine Masonic Lodge 43, Wilmington, a former member of Rehoboth Beach Kiwanis Club. He was a past president and member of the Rehoboth Historical Society. He taught art classes at the Cape Henlopen Senior Center for many years and was also editorial cartoonist for the Delaware Coast Press for many years.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Beatrice G. Miller Fitzgerald, 1996.
He is survived by a son, Keith F. Fitzgerald and his wife, Gayle P. Fitzgerald of Rehoboth Beach; a sister, Bethel Stern of Media, Pa.; three granddaughters, Lee, Stacy, and Paige Fitzgerald, all of Rehoboth Beach; and a sister-in-law, JoAn Miller of Rehoboth Beach.
Service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Bay Vista, Rehoboth Beach.
Burial will be in Delaware Veterans Cemetery, Bear.
Instead of flowers the family suggest contribution to be made to the charity of your choice.
Arrangements by Parsell Funeral Home and Crematorium Atkins-Lodge Chapel 1449 Kings Highway, Lewes.
