United States High School Yearbooks by County
John J. Watson Jr., 58
TOWNSEND - John J. Watson of Townsend died Sunday, Jan. 21, 2001, in his home. He was 58.
Mr. Watson was born in Philadelphia, the son of Isabella Renner of Harrisburg, Pa., and the late John J. Watson Sr.
He was a Marine Corps veteran, serving from 1960 to 1965. He served in the Bay of Pigs during the Cuban Missile crisis of 1961.
He was employed as an electrical engineer by General Motors, Wilmington, since 1965.
Mr. Watson was a member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, and the American Legion 14, both of Smyrna.
He enjoyed fishing and crabbing from his boat on the Chester River in Maryland.
He is preceded in death by a brother, James Watson, who died in 1968.
In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife of 32 years, Elizabeth R. "Betty" Watson of Townsend; a daughter, Dawn Marie Watson, of Dover; three sons, John J. Watson III of Christiana, Douglas J. Watson Sr. of Townsend and Gerard Riccardi of Dover; two brothers, Ed Dover of Wilmington and Michael Kochanek of Jasper, Texas; five sisters, Pat Dooley of Elkton, Md., Jennie Griffith of Harrisburg, Barbara Barnett of Shinglehouse, Pa., Jeannette Faber of West Chester, Pa., and Margaret Mueller of Stamford, Conn.; a godson, Christopher Vernon of West Grove, Pa.; four grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
Friends may call from 7 to 9 tonight at Matthews-Bryson Funeral Home, 123 W. Commerce St., Smyrna.
A service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 22 N. Union St., Smyrna, where friends may also call one hour prior to the service.
Burial will be in St. Peter's Cemetery, Smyrna.
Contributions may be made to St. Peter's Episcopal Church.
Linda Marie Gonce, 60
TOWNSEND - Linda Marie Gonce of Townsend died Sunday, Jan. 21, 2001, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover. She was 60.
Ms. Gonce retired after 35 years from the Corporation Trust Division of the state of Delaware.
She enjoyed traveling and doing crafts.
Ms. Gonce attended the Smyrna Wesley Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Earl W. "Woodie" Gonce and Virginia Frances Gonce.
She is survived by a brother, David F. Gonce of Dover; three sisters, Sandy L. Robbins of Orange Park, Fla., Cynthia S. Bennett of Sharptown, Md., and Ester V. Halter of Troy, Pa.; a special uncle, Paul Gonce; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Daniels & Hutchinson Funeral Home, 212 N. Broad St., Middletown.
A service will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Burial will be in Dulaneys Church Cemetery, Clayton.
Kathryn Ford Kaufman, 84
BETTERTON, Md. - Kathryn Ford Kaufman of Betterton died Sunday, Jan. 21, 2001, in Corsica Hills Nursing Home, Centreville. She was 84.
Mrs. Kaufman was born Oct. 17, 1916, in Still Pond, the daughter of the late Wallace Herman and Helen Hackett Ford.
Mrs. Kaufman was a 1933 graduate of Chestertown High School.
Following her graduation she worked for many area businesses. including The Chestertown Defense Plant, Vita Foods, and C and P Telephone, where she worked as an operator.
She was the wife of the late William R. Kaufman, who she married in 1961. Together they owned and operated Kaufman's Restaurant, Betterton. She retired in 1980, and in 1986 her husband predeceased her.
She enjoyed embroidery, crocheting, knitting and painting. Mrs. Kaufman was a member of the Kent County Senior Citizens, (in which she was very active); the Golden Age Club, Betterton, of which she was president; and Shrewsbury Episcopal Church, Kennedyville. She also was appointed by the county commissioners to serve on the Commission on Aging for Kent County.
She is survived by four sons, Allan Moore and Wayne Kaufman, both of Betterton, Richard Kaufman of Kennedyville and James Kaufman of Smyrna, Del.; two daughters: Carolyn Walls of Denton and Louise Cahall of Cordova; and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A service will be 11 a.m. Friday at Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, 130 Speer Road, Chestertown, where friends may call one hour prior to the service.
Those serving as pallbearers are J.W. Cahall, Jason Cahall, Kevin Kaufman, Richard Kaufman, Norman "Toppy" Hopkins and Jeff Moore.
Burial will be in Still Pond Cemetery.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to Shrewsbury Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 187, Kennedyville, MD 21645; or to Kent County Senior Citizens, 118 N. Cross St., Chestertown, MD 21620.
Laura Virginia Kennedy, 82
SMYRNA - Laura Virginia Kennedy of Smyrna died Sunday, Jan. 21, 2001, in the Delaware Home and Hospital for the Chronically Ill, Smyrna. She was 82.
Mrs. Kennedy was born in North East, Md., where she attended school.
She was employed as a cook by Dr. and Mrs. Laylor Burdick of Wilmington. She also was employed as a domestic worker for the noted artist and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. James "Jamie" Wyeth of Granogue.
She moved to St. Petersburg, Fla., in 1972, and returned to Delaware in 1980. She moved to Smyrna in 1989.
She is survived by her husband of 31 years, Raymond W. "Wally" Kennedy of Smyrna; a son, Wayne E. Racine, of Elkton, Md.; two daughters, Calysta D. Hitchens, and Margaret "Ginger" Harold, both of Smyrna; four sisters, Bertha Letts and Patricia Johnson, both of North East, Margaret Rhudy of Dade City, Fla., and Beatrice Murray of Batavia, N.Y.; eight grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren,
Friends may call from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Matthews-Bryson Funeral Home, 123 W. Commerce St., Smyrna.
A graveside service will be 2 p.m. Thursday in the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions be sent to Downs Syndrome Association of Delaware, 220 N. James St., Newport, DE 19804.
William Elbert Liden Jr., 65
FEDERALSBURG, Md. - William Elbert Liden Jr. of Federalsburg died Thursday, Jan. 18, 2001, in his home. He was 65.
Mr. Linden was born Aug. 19, 1935, in Easton, the son of the late William Elbert and Margaret Cook Liden Sr.
After graduating from Federalsburg High School, he attended Stanford University and graduated from Stanford University Law School.
He returned to Federalsburg and was a tax preparer for many years.
He is survived by cousins.
A graveside memorial service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday in Bloomery United Methodist Church Cemetery, near Federalsburg.
The family suggests memorial contributions in his memory be made to Bloomery United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, c/o Anna Mae Merdith, Bloomery Road, Federalsburg, MD 21632.
Arrangements are being handled by Williamson Funeral Home, Federalsburg.
Leroy Ritter Taylor, 79
LEWES - Leroy Ritter Taylor of Lewes, formerly of Carlisle, Pa., died Saturday, Jan. 6, 2001, in his home. He was 79.
Mr. Taylor was born May 26, 1921, in New Kingstown, Pa., the son of the late George Gilmore and Beulah Ruth Ritter Taylor.
He lived most of his life in the Carlisle area.
Mr. Taylor was a retired maintenance engineer for AMP, Harrisburg, Pa. He also was employed by Frog & Switch Manufacturing Co., Carlisle, for 10 years.
He enjoyed gardening and fishing.
Mr. Taylor was a member of St. Stephen Lutheran Church, New Kingstown; the AMP Nimrods; and the Eagles Club Aerie 1299, Carlisle, for more than 50 years.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Elizabeth Ann Taylor; and a brother, Gilmore M. Taylor.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Cora Geraldine Sheaffer Taylor; two sons, Robert L. of Mechanicsburg, Pa., and George W. of Wilkes Barre, Pa.; a daughter, Wendy L. Taylor of Camp Hill, Pa.; a brother, Elwood of New Kingstown; a sister, Margaret Heikes of Altoona, Pa.; a grandson; two granddaughters; and two great-grandsons.
A graveside service was Jan. 10 in Westminster Memorial Gardens, North Middleton Township, Pa.
Arrangements by Ewing Brothers Funeral Home, 630 S. Hanover St., Carlisle.
The family suggests memorial contributions to Hospice of Delaware, Georgetown.
Mary Pouch Sears, 92
CHESTERTOWN, Md. - Mary Pouch Sears of Chestertown died Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2001, in her home. She was 92.
Mrs. Sears was educated at Miss Bennet's School, New York.
She married Austin L. Smithers, who died in 1936.
She married Mr. Sears in 1937. They lived in Greenwich, Conn., and New York City.
Mrs. Sears moved to Chestertown in 1976.
She had a long-lasting interest in farming and land conservation.
She is survived by her two sons; Henry Francis Sears of Cambridge, Mass., and Austin Leonard Smithers of Lyme, N.H.; five grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Doris Jean Will, 74
SALISBURY, Md. - Doris Jean Will of Salisbury died Wednesday, March 26, 2003, in the Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Salisbury.
Mrs. Will was born in Laurel, daughter of the late John Andrew and Myrtle Rebecca Rash.
She was a hostess for Howard Johnson's, Holiday Inn and the Elks Lodge.
Mrs. Will was a member of Christ United Methodist Church and lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary. She was a volunteer at Peninsula Regional Medical Center and Palms of Pasadena in Florida.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Will, in 1994; and a son, Jerome A. Will Sr., in 2001.
She is survived by two daughters and a son-in-law, Brenda J. Foskey of Laurel and Rae J. and Joseph Harmon of Salisbury; a brother, John Andrew Rash Jr. of Laurel; 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Service will be 2 p.m. Monday in Christ United Methodist Church in Salisbury, where friends may call one hour earlier. The Rev. Thomas Hurley will officiate.
Graveside service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday in Royal Palm Cemetery Chapel, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions in her memory to Christ Unified Methodist Church, 211 Phillip Morris Dr., Salisbury, MD 21804.
Arrangements by Holloway Funeral Home, Salisbury.
Mary 'Connie' Vitulli Willett, 94
FRANKLIN SQUARE, L.I., N.Y. - Mary "Connie" Vitulli Willett of Franklin Square, formerly of Portsville, Del. (near Seaford), Delmar, Del., Lewes, Del., and Satsuma, Fla., died of heart failure and lung fibrosis Wednesday, March 12, 2003, in Long Island. She was 94.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, John Vitulli, who had lived in Portsville, in 1971; and her second husband, Ovide Willett of Dagsboro, Del., and Satsuma, in 1994.
She is survived by two daughters and two sons-in-law, Corinne V. and Ralph Lehman of New York and Pat Willett Frey and Tom Frey of Dagsboro; a brother and sister-in-law, Anthony and June Ruggiero of Laurel, Del.; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be 11 a.m. April 5 in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Seaford.
The family suggests that flowers be omitted.
J. Emory Williamson, 93
GREENWOOD - J. Emory Williamson of Greenwood died of natural causes Wednesday, March 26, 2003, in Genesis Elder Care in Milford. He was 93.
Mr. Williamson was born May 3, 1909, in Greenwood, son of the late John M. and Belle Davis Williamson.
He was born, raised and lived all of his life on the farm, growing field crops and raising poultry.
Mr. Williamson graduated from Greenwood High School in 1926.
He loved his garden.
Mr. Williamson was a member of Greenwood United Methodist Church.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife of 45 years, Jessie Adams Williamson; a grandson, Steve; and a brother, Howard.
He is survived by his second wife of 25 years, Bessie Gears Williamson; three sons and two daughters-in-law, Kenneth and Carol Williamson of Georgetown, Paul and Rosemary Williamson of Milford and John Williamson of Beaver Creek, Ohio; a daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and Ronald Bennett of Wilmington; two stepchildren, Charles C. Gears Sr. of Houston, Texas and Barbara G. Robinson of Wilmington; eight grandchildren, Sharon, Chris, Rex, Scott, Tim, Michael, Tanya and Michele; 16 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; four step-grandchildren, Charles Jr., Matt, Bill and Bryan; and two step-great-grandchildren.
Services will be 2 p.m. Sunday in Fleischauer Funeral Home, Greenwood, where friends may call one hour earlier.
Burial will be in Todd's Chapel Cemetery, Greenwood.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Todd's Chapel Improvement Fund, c/o Jean O'Bier, 22732 S. Du Pont Highway, Greenwood, DE 19950.
Dr. John F. Glenn Jr., 85
MILFORD - Dr. John F. Glenn Jr. of Milford died Monday, March 26, 2001, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover. He was 85.
Dr. Glenn was born in Philadelphia, the son of the late John F. and Marian Wilkinson Glenn.
He was a 1932 graduate of Frankfort High School in Philadelphia, where he was a member of the All-High School Orchestra. He graduated in 1936 with a degree in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania, and received his doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Delaware in 1957.
Dr. Glenn was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, serving in both the Medical Corps and the Transportation Department. After his tour of duty, he remained active in the Army Reserves, retiring in the 1960s as a lieutenant colonel.
He moved to Milford in 1936 to join L.D. Caulk Co. as a research chemist, where he worked in both Milford and in York, Pa., traveling extensively throughout the world for the company.
Dr. Glenn authored numerous papers and contributed several chapters to professional books, and was awarded several patents for products he developed. He retired in 1978 as director of dental research.
After retiring he established a vineyard in Milford and grew his own grapes to make wine, which he bottled under the GINJOHN label. He was an avid wood worker, gardener and a collector of many things.
Dr. Glenn was a member of the Milford Senior Center, a charter member of the Milford Chapter of the AARP, where he actively championed senior legislation in the Delaware Legislature, and a mentor at Milford High School. He was a member of the Chemistry Honor Society at the University of Delaware, a 50-year member of Christ Episcopal Church in Milford and served on the Milford school board in the 1960s. He was also a former board member and one of the founders of Kent-Sussex Industries, the Delaware State Nursing Board, and the Arthritis Foundation. He was an organizer of the Adult Evening School at Milford High School and an instructor at the Milford School of Nursing.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia "Ginny" Glenn, in 1998.
He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Dr. John F. III and Brenda V. Glenn; a daughter and son-in-law, Lesley G. and Dr. Frederick Cochran of Los Alamos, N.M.; a sister, Doris Glenn of Dover; five grandchildren, Julie Phillips, Sara Glenn, Erin Glenn, Kaitlin Glenn and John H. Cochran; and a great-granddaughter, Madison Glenn Phillips.
Service will be 11 a.m. today at Christ Episcopal Church, 200 N. Church St. in Milford.
Burial will be in the adjoining churchyard.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Milford Public Library, 11 S.E. Front St., Milford, DE 19963.
Arrangements by Lofland Funeral Home, Milford.
Johnnie Mae Bell, 82
SEAFORD - Johnnie Mae Bell of near Seaford died of heart failure Monday, March 26, 2001, in Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. She was 82.
Mrs. Bell was born March 8, 1919, in North Carolina.
She is survived by her husband, Russell Bell of Seaford; four sons, Flozier Ross of Millsboro, Isiah Ross of Milton, Marshall Taylor of Selbyville and Michael Ross of Arizona; six daughters, Doretha Smith, Lula Green and Faye Cintra, all of Seaford, Mary Dupont of Bridgeville, Fransen Turner of Chester, Pa., and Althea Johnson of Laurel; 38 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; four sons-in-law, Leon Smith, Warren Johnson, James Dupont and Perdo Cintra; two daughters-in-law, Mary Ross and Gladys Ross; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Friends may call from 6-8 p.m. Friday at Young's Funeral Home, Seaford.
Service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Refuge Temple, Seaford, with the Rev. Leon Williams, pastor, officiating, and Bishop John Pinkley of, Easton, Md., delivering the eulogy.
Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Middleford.
Lt. Col. U.S.A.F. (retired) Clifford Wayne Faircloth, 83
GOLDSBORO, N.C. - Lt. Col. U.S.A.F. (retired) Clifford Wayne Faircloth of Goldsboro, and formerly of Dover, Del., died Sunday, March 4, 2001, in his home. He was 83.
Lt. Col. Faircloth was a career officer in the U.S. Air Force with 28 years of service. His last assignment was at Dover Air Force Base, where he was a C-133 aircraft commander and flight examiner pilot with more than 10,000 hours flying time.
Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the Dover Air Force Base Carpenter Memorial Chapel, Chapel 2 in the Air Base housing area.
