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 funeral service for the Rev. Bessie V. Avant, 66, of Dover, will be held on Thursday, June 25 at Calvary Baptist Church, Del. 8 West, Forrest Avenue, Dover, where friends may call two hours prior to the service.
The Rev. Avant died Friday, June 19, 1998 in Washington Hospital Center, Washington, D.C.
The Rev. Avant was born in 1932 in Rectortown, Va., the daughter of the late Edwin and Corrine Ross.
She accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Savior at the age of 5 and was an active member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Rectortown.
She was educated in the public school system in Rectortown and attended Manassas High School in Manassas, Va. She graduated in 1949.
On Oct. 5, 1974, she was united in holy matrimony to the Rev. Dr. Richard M. Avant.
The Rev. Avant became a licensed evangelist in 1985 and in 1990 was ordained a minister at Calvary Baptist Church, where she was pastor of women.
She initiated the church's Women's Conference; was instrumental in the reorganization and training of deaconesses; was the founder of the 12 Tribes of Israel concept for the women of the church; started the "All Families Day"; and instituted the Wednesday night Intercessory Prayer Group.
She was a member of End Time Handmaidens and the International Association of Ministers' Wives and Ministers' Widows of Dover and Vicinity.
Earlier this year, she received a master's degree in Biblical Counseling from Friends International Christian University in Merced, Calif.
The Rev. Avant was preceded in death by her brothers, Cornilus Ross, Webster Ross and Franklin Ross.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons, George Nathan Penn Jr. and his wife Belinda of Wilmington, and Richard M. Avant III of Philadelphia; four daughters, Deborah Lewis and her husband, Hollis, of DeSoto, Texas, Tonya Penn-Harper and her husband, Eric of Hazel Crest, Ill. Saundra Thomas and her husband, Hilton of Sicklerville, N.J., and Lydia Hayes of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; three sisters, Burnice Turner and her husband, John of Harrisburg, Pa., Elinor Peters and her husband, Alvin of Dover, and Jacqueline Ross-Webb of Harrisburg, Pa.; an adopted sister, Lenise Pemberton of Harrisburg, Pa.; five brothers, James, Walter, Duran, Charlton and Douglas Ross, all of Harrisburg, Pa.; in-laws, Albert Avant Sr. and his wife, Jean of Philadelphia, Beulah James of Philadelphia, James Avant and his wife, Sandra of Sharon Hill, Pa.; an aunt, Grace Carpenter of Emporia, Va.; 13 grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, church family and friends.
Friends may also call from 6 to 9 p.m. this evening at Calvary Baptist Church, De. 8 West, Forrest Ave., Dover.
Arrangements are by Minus Funeral Home, Dover.
Burial will be in Sharon Hills Memorial Gardens, Dover.
Catherine M. Outten
A funeral service for Catherine M. Outten, 74, of Delmar, will be held at 11 a.m. today Short Funeral Home, 13 E. Grove St., Delmar. Mrs. Outten died Saturday, June 20, 1998 in the Penninsula Regional Medical Center, Salisbury, Md.
Mrs. Outten was born in Baltimore, Md., the daughter of the late John W. and Rose E. Myers.
She was a retired seamstress with Delmar Sportswear.
Mrs. Outten had been a member of St. Stephen's United Methodist Church in Delmar and St. Stephen's United Methodist Women in Delmar.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Lewis Outten, in 1996.
Mrs. Outten is survived by three sons, Calvin Ray Ervin Jr. of Alexandria, Va., John Robert Ervin of Baltimore, and C. Terry Outten and his wife, Ede, of Dover; a daughter and son-in-law, Kathy and John Murrell of Salisbury, Md.; a brother, Donald Myers of Glen Burnie, Md.; three sisters, Eileen Dahlke of Balitmore, Ruth Kier of Nowata, Okla., and Louise Outten of Owings Mills, Md.; a daughter-in-law, Deloris Jones of Delmar; and several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the American Lung Association, P.O. Box 5703, Wilmington, DE 19806-5703.
James Wyatt 'Poopie' Delaney
A funeral service for James Wyatt "Poopie" Delaney, 42, of Dover, will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 25 at Whatcoat United Methodist Church, Saulsbury Rd., Dover, where friends may call two hours prior to the service.
Mr. Delaney died Sunday, June 21, 1998 in Kent General Hospital, Dover.
Mr. Delaney was born in Dover in 1956, the son of the late Rebecca Delaney Jones of Dover.
He attended Dover public schools.
Mr. Delaney worked various jobs in the Dover area until he became ill.
He is survived by two daughters, Tamira D. Baker and Jamie A. Baker, both of Dover; two sisters, Mary Ann Mosley and Deborah Evans, both of Dover; a grandson, Michael R. Baker of Dover; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Arrangements are by Bennie Smith Funeral Home, Dover.
A funeral service for Deborah Ann Heverin, 37, of Dover, will be held at 2 p.m. today at the Torbert Funeral Chapel, 61 S. Bradford St., Dover. Ms. Heverin died Sunday, June 21, 1998 in the Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill in Smyrna.
Ms. Heverin was born in 1961, the daughter of Robert and the late Diane Heverin.
She was preceded in death by her step-mother, Sylvia May Heverin.
In addition to her father, she is survived by two sons, Robert W. Heverin of Dover, and Major Stubbs of Greensboro, Md.; two daughters, Sue Ellen Harper and Shanna Stubbs, both of Greensboro; four brothers, Donald and Ronald Heverin, both of Dover, Gary Heverin of Townsend and Richard Middleton of Smyrna; and a sister-in-law, Carlea Cahall of Dover.
Burial will be in Sharon Hills Memorial Park, Dover.
Mildred Elizabeth Beck
A funeral service for Mildred Elizabeth Beck, 87, of Dover, will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 25 at the Torbert Funeral Chapel, 61 Bradford St., Dover, where friends may call one hour prior to the service.
Mrs. Beck died after a prolonged illness on Sunday, June 21, 1998 in the Westminster Village Health Care Center, Dover.
Mrs. Beck was born in 1910, the daughter of the late Nettie and Henry Manny.
She was raised in the Williamsport, Pa., area, and lived there until 1984. She then moved to Dover.
Mrs. Beck had worked as a clerk, nurse's aide and flower designer.
She had been a past matron of Eastern Star-Williamsport Chapter. She was also a member of the Grace Presbyterian Church of Dover.
Mrs. Beck was preceded in death by her first husband, Arch Paulhamus, in 1973.
She is survived by a daughter, Shirley Leitzinger of Dover; a brother, Raymond Manny of Williamsport, Pa.; six grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Burial will be in the Monotoursville Cemetery, Williamsport, Pa.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Grace Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 350 McKee Rd., Dover, DE 19904.
Elwood D. Erwin
A memorial service for Elwood D. Erwin, 82, of Smyrna, will be held at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 25 at the Faries Funeral Chapel, 29 S. Main St., Smyrna. Mr. Erwin died Saturday, June 20, 1998 at Integrated Health Services of Delaware at Kent Nursing Home, Smyrna.
Mr. Erwin was born in 1915 in Lehighton, Pa., the son of the late Thomas and Gertrude Steigerwalt Erwin.
He worked in the maintenance division of the Delaware State Highway Department for several years, retiring in 1978.
Mr. Erwin was a past president of the Smyrna Lions Club and a 50-year member of the Order of Odd Fellows.
He is survived by his wife, Miriam Fowler Erwin; a son, Dee C. Erwin and his wife, Sharon, of Dover; a daughter, Patricia E. Owens and her husband, John, of Coatsville, Pa.; a brother, Edwin F. Erwin of Milton; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Burial will be private.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the American Lung Association of Delaware, 1021 Gilpin Ave., Suite 202, Wilmington, DE 19806.
William A. Smallenburg
William A. Smallenburg, 87, of Milford, and formerly of Buffalo, N.Y., died of cancer Sunday, June 21, 1998, in his home.
Mr. Smallenburg was born in Buffalo, N.Y., the son of the late Harry and Mary Smallenburg.
He graduated from the University of Buffalo in 1936.
Mr. Smallenburg was an industrial engineer, employed by Bethlehem Steel's Lackawana, N.Y. plant. He was a chief rate setter, and retired after 39 years of service.
He is survived by his wife, Janet "Naida" Smallenburg; a son and daughter-in-law, Richard E. and Kathleen Smallenburg of Albreightsville, Pa.; a daughter and son-in-law, Margaret M. and Jerry Breyer of Marlton, N.J.; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held at the convenience of the family at a later date.
Arrangements are by Melson Funeral Services.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to a charity of choice.
Joshua Fein
A memorial service for Joshua Fein, 46, of Milford, will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 1998 at Reformation Lutheran Church, 613 Lakeview Ave., Milford.
Mr. Fein, formerly of West Hartford, Conn., and Kent, Ohio, died of cancer on Sunday, June 14, 1998 in his home.
Mr. Fein was Director of Social Services for People's Place II, a social services resource center in Milford, from September of 1995 until May of 1997. Earlier, he was director of a group home for mentally disabled adults in Cleveland and developed an instrument called "R-Scan" for the state of Ohio that allowed funding to follow the client.
After leaving the center in Milford, he started a photography business in Milford.
He had played trombone with several Philadelphia big bands and with a brass group at Temple University. He acted and sang with the Possum Point Players in Georgetown and acted with the Second Street Players in Milford.
He was involved with the Governor's Committee on Volunteerism.
Mr. Fein was a founder and treasurer of the Unitarian Universalist of Southern Delaware Church, Lewes, where he was chairman of the Worship Committee.
He received a doctorate from Brandeis University's School of Social Welfare, Waltham, Mass.
He was a former member of the Milford Rotary and was a long-distance runner.
He is survived by his wife of nine and a half years, Sheryl Winsby; three daughters, Elizabeth and Carolyn Fein of Kent, Ohio, and Jill Winsby- Fein, at home; a step-son, Jeff R. Barnett of Lawrence, Kan.; his mother, Edith Fein of West Hartford; two sisters, Ann Slater of Calif., and Lisa Siegel of West Hartford; and a brother, Jeremy Fein of South Bend, Ind.
Arrangements are by Rogers Funeral Home, Milford.
Burial will be private.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Delaware Valley Transplant Program, 2000 Hamilton St., Ste. 201, Philadelphia, PA, or Delaware Hospice, Kent County, 911 S. DuPont Hwy., Dover, DE 19901.
Lewis E. Slater
A funeral service for Lewis E. Slater, 59, of Harrington, was held on Friday, June 19 at Independent Bible Fellowship Church, Harrington.
Mr. Slater died of cancer on Monday, June 15, 1998 in his home.
Mr. Slater was born in 1939 in Harrington, the son of George and Ida Slater.
He served in the U.S. Navy from 1957 to 1959, and was stationed on the USS Iowa.
Mr. Slater was a truck driver. He owned and operated Slater Trucking for 35 years, retiring in 1992 due to his health.
He was a member of Moose 534, Harrington, and GWRRA, Delaware Chapter B.
Mr. Slater was preceded in death by his wife of 37 years, Mary Ann Slater, in 1994; and his daughter, Debra Ann Slater, in 1986.
He is survived by three sons, Lewis E. Slater Jr. of Milford, R. Wayne Slater of Harrington and George D. Slater of Greenwood; a daughter, Karen Gallo of Greenwood; two brothers, George Slater of Felton and Frank Slater of Farmington; two sisters, Amy Watkins of Houston and Mary Welch of Woodside; and 11 grandchildren.
Arrangements were by Fleischauer Funeral Home, Greenwood.
A funeral service for Helena Elizabeth Hill Messick, 78, of Oxford, Pa., was held on Wednesday, June 17 at Oxford United Methodist Church in Oxford, Pa.
Mrs. Messick, formerly of Laurel, died Sunday, June 14, 1998 in Ware Presbyterian Village in Oxford, Pa.
Mrs. Messick had worked for the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. Before that, she worked at Allied Kid Co. and Security Storage.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church of Oxford, where she served on the Official Board and the United Methodist Women. She was also treasurer and past president of the Winner's Class.
Mrs. Messick was president of the Oxford Ladies Service League and the Oxford East Precinct Board of Elections and was a volunteer at the Southern Chester County Medical Center.
She was a 50-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, Octorara Chapter 463.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, John W. Messick Jr., in 1991; and her brother, Oliver E. Hill, in April of this year.
Mrs. Messick is survived by two sons, John W. Messick III of Dover, and Wayne H. Messick of Oxford, Pa.; a sister, Marie Jane Hastings of Colonial Heights, Va.; and one granddaughter.
