Delaware Obituary Collection
(Obits and death notices from Various Funeral Homes in Delaware [with many Maryland obits that are associated with Delaware]).
Many obituaries from Dover and Rehoboth Beach.
A Celebration of Life for the Rev. Eva G. Naill, 90, of Dover, was held Friday, Dec. 13, at Trinity Wesleyan Church, Dover. The Rev. Naill died Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002, at Millcroft Nursing Home, Newark.
She was born Sept. 18, 1912, in Crellin, Md., daughter of the late Stanley and Addie Adams Ashby.
The Rev. Naill was a minister along with her husband serving the Nazarene Church in Madison, W.Va., Rand, W.Va., Cleveland, Ohio, Vermilion, Ohio, Williamsburg, Va., and Wilmington.
She was a member of the Calvary Church of the Nazarene in Dover, where she was active in the ministry.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Willis D. Naill.
She is survived by two sons and their wives, Ronald D. and Pat Naill of Wilmington and Richard A. and Colleen Naill of New Castle; a sister and her husband, Loretta and the Rev. Joseph Hoopengardner of Hollywood, Md.; three grandchildren, Richard Naill, Shane Naill and Shera Naill; and three great-grandchildren, Madison Naill, Monroe Naill and Brock Naill.
Services and burial for Ann Lois White Painter, 72, of Camden, will be held privately in the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear. Mrs. Painter died Friday, Dec. 20, 2002, in her home.
She was born Aug. 28, 1930, daughter of the late Albert Howard White and Mary Jane Newton.
Mrs. Painter worked for security at Brooks Field, San Antonio, Texas. She was a homemaker, an assistant manager at Dover Air Force Base Bowling Center and also managed Raceway Liquors in Dover. She truly loved people.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Donald W. Painter, in 2001.
She is survived by four sons and a daughter-in-law, Wyman Eugene and Nancy Painter of Clayton, Stanley Earle Painter and Donnie William Painter, both of Camden, and David Wilson Painter of Seaford; a brother and sister-in-law, Albert Howard and Margaret White of Grier, N.C.; a sister, Agnes Phillips of San Antonio, Texas; four grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; and a great-grandson, Evan Painter.
Arrangements were by Torbert Funeral Chapel, Dover.
Anna May Starling Phillips
Graveside services for Anna May Starling Phillips, 95, of Greenville, were held Monday, Dec. 23, in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Smyrna. Mrs. Phillips died Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2002, in Stonegates Retirement Community, Greenville.
She was born Oct. 4, 1907, in Dover, daughter of the late J. Frank Starling and Anna May Armstrong.
Mrs. Phillips was very fond of Dover and lived most of her life in Delaware.
She was a graduate of the University of Delaware.
Mrs. Phillips worked in the library at the State House in Dover for a time.
She was married to Charles E. Jenkins in 1942, and they made their home in Wyoming until his death in 1953. She married Kenneth A. Phillips in 1969. They enjoyed traveling together and had friends all over the United States.
She is survived by a niece, Margaret Peacock Gregory of Newark; a nephew, George B. Wendell Jr. of New Canaan, Conn.; two great-nephews; a great-grandnephew; and a great-grandniece.
Arrangements were by Faries Funeral Directors, Inc.
Elsie Mae Prattis
A viewing for Elsie Mae Prattis, 86, of Wyoming, was held Monday, Dec. 23, in Bennie Smith Funeral Home, Dover. Mrs. Prattis died Monday, Dec. 16, 2002, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover.
She was born March 4, 1916, daughter of the late Archie and Debra Manlove.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Annie Morris.
She is survived by her son, Frederick Jackson of Wyoming; three granddaughters, Juanita Jackson of Wyoming, Carol Jackson of Dover and Arikenda Lewis of Ridgely, Md.; two grandsons, Frederick Jackson Jr. of Dover, and Israel Jackson of Las Vegas; four great-grandchildren, Lotatya, Tony, Jaywanna and Whitney; a brother-in-law, Dalton Morris of Camden; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.
Maria "Mary' Schuh
Remembrance services for Maria "Mary" Schuh, 90 of Marydel, were held Friday, Dec. 20, at Trader Funeral Home in Dover. Mrs. Schuh died Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002, at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover.
She was born October 26, 1912, in Philadelphia, daughter of the late Stefan and Eva Bertram Possert.
Mrs. Schuh was a seamstress for more than 50 years in the Kent County area, and had lived in New York City at one time.
Mrs. Schuh loved and cared for animals.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Rose; two brothers, Stefan and Matthew; and a grandson, Jack J. Schuh.
She is survived by son and his wife, Jack J. and Rose Schuh of Marydel; three grandchildren, Diana, and her husband, Mark Weyant of Dover, Eric Schuh of Felton and Scott Schuh of Dover; and a great-grandson, Matthew Jacob Schuh of Roanoke, Va.
Senior Master Sgt. John Charles Sluss, U.S.A.F. (Ret.)
Services for retired U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. John Charles Sluss, 79, of Dover, were held Friday, Dec. 13, at Torbert Funeral Chapel, Dover. Mr. Sluss died Wednesday Dec. 11, 2002, at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital.
He was born June 26, 1923 in Cumberland, Md., son of the late George L. and Mary M. Rogan Sluss. He moved to Delaware in 1970.
Mr. Sluss served his country as a carrier and a military policeman in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years. He saw action during World War II and the Korean and Vietnamese wars. Part of his duties with the military police included guarding President Lyndon B. Johnson's plane. After retiring as a senior master sergeant in 1969, Mr. Sluss was a car salesman for a short time with the Holden Mundy car dealership.
He was a member of the Camden/Wyoming Moose Lodge, American Legion Walter L. Fox Post No. 2, and the First State Shrine Club.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 38 years, Sara Girley Sluss in 1993.
He is survived by a son, Charles Sluss; a daughter, Susan Sylvester of Wyoming; his caretaker and granddaughter, Robin Sylvester of Felton; and four other grandchildren, Cindy Wilson of Dover, Donna Thompson of Milford, Regina Knotts of Wyoming and Donald Sylvester of Dover.
Services for C.E. "Buck" Wilburn, 68, of Dover, will be held privately. Mr. Wilburn died after a long illness Sunday, Dec. 15, 2002, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover.
He was born Dec. 18, 1933, in Maryville, Tenn., son of the late Ernest and Lillie Wilburn.
Mr. Wilburn was a master craftsman, having worked in all phases of the building industry for more than 50 years.
He was a quiet, soft-spoken man who loved his family, fishing, hunting, playing his guitar and taking scooter rides with his dog, Chippie. He will be dearly missed by his friends and family and will always be remembered for his intelligence and teasing sense of humor.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Trula "Sandy" Wilburn; two daughters and two sons-in-law, Gail and Jim Ulp of Dover and Linda and Henry Briggs of Marydel; a son, Ernest Wilburn of Dover; two brothers, Johnny Wilburn and Fred Wilburn; four sisters, Margaret Hollis, Mary Thatcher, Candy Hutsell and Henrietta Christian.
He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Charles Briggs, April Briggs, Stephanie Belk, Melanie Settle, Kelly Ulp, Kimberly Wilburn, Mela Wilburn and Ernest Wilburn; and seven great-grandchildren, Alicia Vallenavedo, Alex Settle, Ashley Settle, Elizabeth Briggs, Jamie Briggs, Aidan Donahue and Zachary Belk.
Franklin J. Wilson
A committal service for Franklin J. Wilson, 85, of Wilmington, was held Thursday, Dec. 19, in the chapel of the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear. Mr. Wilson died Monday, Dec. 16, 2002, in the Christiana Hospital, Newark.
Mr. Wilson served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a master sergeant. He retired from General Motors in 1982 after 35 years of service.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Thelma E. Wilson; two children, Jeanette W. Campbell and her husband, John F. of Hockessin and Franklin J. Wilson and his wife, Sharon A. of Newark; one sister, Ruth Wheatley of Newark; three grandchildren, Julie, Jeffrey and Megan; and five great-grandchildren.
Arrangements were by the McCrery Funeral Home, Wilmington.
Helen Elizabeth Ricks Young
Graveside services for Helen Elizabeth Ricks Young, 79, of Milford, were held Saturday, Dec. 14, in the Carver Memorial Cemetery, Suffolk, Va. Mrs. Young died Sunday, Dec. 8, 2002, in the Genesis ElderCare Milford Center, Milford.
She was a faithful member of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith in Ellendale.
Mrs. Young was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene Young.
She is survived by a stepdaughter, Gloria White of Frederica; five stepsons and their wives, Lawrence Eugene and Marilyn Young and Ronnie Young and his companion, Mary Anglin, all of Frederica, James and Virginia Young and Carl and Elanor Young, all of Felton and William and Stella Young of Georgetown.
She is also survived by a sister, Annie Arlease Ricks Perkins of Washington, D.C. and Suffolk; three brothers, Stephen A. Ricks Sr. of Suffolk, Richards A. Ricks Sr. of Portsmouth, Va., and the Rev. John W. Ricks Sr. of Washington, D.C.; three sisters-in-law, Mildred Pettyjohn and Margaret West, both of Frederica and Rachel Gibson of Dover; two brothers-in-law, Clarence Young of Frederica and Samuel Young of Milton; and a host of nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends.
Charles H. Emerson
Graveside services for Charles H. Emerson, 54, of Clayton, were held Monday, Nov. 18, in the Glenwood Cemetery, Smyrna. Mr. Emerson died Thursday, Nov. 14, 2002, in Christiana Hospital, Newark.
He was born in Dover, son of the late Clarence Mac and Dorothy Louise Emerson.
Mr. Emerson retired from Chrysler Corp. in 1992.
He enjoyed the outdoors and had been active in the Adopt-A-Highway program.
He is survived by a son, Charles H. Emerson Jr. of Clayton; four brothers, Clarence Mac Emerson Jr. of Bear, Ronald Emerson of Clayton, Roy Emerson of Dover and Earl Emerson of Neshanic Station, N.J.; a sister, Clarice Maxine Emerson of Syracuse, N.Y.; his companion, Deborah Slaughter; and dear friends, Danny and Charlotte Cole.
