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.
Funeral services for Otha Dale Teaff, 83, of Dover, will be held at noon Thursday, Feb. 15, in the Torbert Funeral Chapel, 61 S. Bradford St., Dover. Mr. Teaff died Sunday, Feb. 11, in his home.
Mr. Teaff was born Oct. 6, 1923, in Newark, N.J., son of the late Otha Dale Teaff and Miriam Wood Teaff.
He went to separate grade and high schools in six different states, graduating in 1940 from Ball High School in Galveston, Texas. He then attended two years at Palm Beach Junior College followed by one year at UFLA and one semester at the University of Miami.
Mr. Teaff enlisted in the U.S. Navy, spending Jan. 1, 1943, to May 30, 1944, at the Harvard Business School in the Navy B-11 program and was commissioned an ensign on Memorial Day 1944. He received orders to NAS, Kodiak, Alaska and after serving almost one year there, was assigned to New Orleans to take a vessel to Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines.
While awaiting ship, the Pacific War ended and he was assigned to run the officers club in Yokoska, Japan. Fortune intervening, he was reassigned to the Army Exchange System in the Hatori Building in downtown Tokyo as the Navy Exchange buyer for the Pacific Theater, involving numerous meetings with Zaibatsu business owners. After the war, he remained in the U.S. Naval Reserve until his retirement.
In his civilian life, Mr. Teaff held many positions, working at Dover Air Force Base, teaching in Felton and Middletown and traveling for Dale’s Sales, selling advertising and organizational pins and premiums. He was active in many organizations including the Reserve Officers Association as president, the State Del-Vets as president and the Sovereign Military Order the Temple of Jerusalem as Prior of the Delaware. Mr. Teaff was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and Kappa Sigma Fraternity, founding the Middle-Atlantic Alumni Chapter. The University of Miami named him alumni of the year for his devotion.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ashley Kellam Teaff, on March 13, 1998.
Mr. Teaff is survived by a son, Joe Teaff of Dover; two daughters, Dr. Nancy Lee Teaff and her husband Bryon Walthall of Charlotte, N.C., and Miriam Pfister and her husband Jude of Morristown, NJ; his sister, Ruth Barrows of Dover; three grandchildren, Kristen Teaff of Dover and Julia and Marycait Walthall of Charlotte; six caregivers, Kathy Manley of Clayton, Sophia Reindseler of Woodside, Diann Tuttle, Renata Williams, Juanita Stroman and Tammi Miller, all of Harrington.
Funeral services for Daniel William Teat Sr., 73, of Frederica, will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14, in Mount Plymouth A.M.E. Church, Viola, where friends may call beginning at 4 p.m. Mr. Teat died Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007, in the Veterans Administration Hospital, Elsmere.
Mr. Teat was born Aug. 6, 1933, in Big Woods, Md., son of the late George “Edward” and Bessie Teat.
He had worked for Stelljes Paving and Excavating for 12 years.
Mr. Teat was a veteran of the Korean War, and traveled playing baseball during his military career.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Evelyn Teat-Smith; and two children, Barbara Ann Teat and Delvin Elmendorf.
Mr. Teat is survived by three daughters and their husbands, Gail and James Combs, Teresa and Leonard Demby and Sheila and Steven Powell; a son and daughter-in-law, Daniel W. Jr. and Joyce Teat; nine grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; two uncles, James Stewart and David Durant; a special friend, Mary Teat; his dear friends, Venita Elmendorf and Estell Clark; and two close friends, Randolph Teat and Roger Young.
Arrangements are by the Minus Funeral Home, Dover.
Annie Blanche Bundick Tracy
Funeral services for Annie Blanche Bundick Tracy, 85, of Dover, were held Saturday, Feb. 10, in Crossroad Christian Church, Dover. Mrs. Tracy died Saturday, Feb. 3, 2007, in Westminister Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Dover.
Mrs. Tracy was born Aug. 31, 1921, daughter of the late James Jeffery Bundick and Cecily Wharton Bundick.
She attended Accomac Public School.
Mrs. Tracy worshipped at Macedonia African Methodist Episcopal Church, Accomac, Va., during her early childhood.
She left Virginia at a very early age to seek employment in New York. Once settled in Brooklyn, she remained faithful to her church, family and friends for 48 years.
In December 2000, Mrs. Tracy moved with her late husband, Carl Tracy, to be closer to her family in Dover and Virginia.
In addition to her parents and her husband, who died Jan. 21, 2001, she was preceded in death by three children, Rufus Mason Jr., Veronica Mason and Janette Mason; a sister, Gladys Bundick; and five brothers, William Bundick, Samuel Bundick, Fred Bundick, Fletcher Bundick and George Bundick.
Mrs. Tracy is survived by three daughters and two sons-in-law, the Rev. Annmarie and Bobby Moore and Michelle Tracy, all of Dover, and Angelle and Robert Titus of Plainfield, N.J.; and two sons and a daughter-in-law, Richard Mason of San Francisco and Victor and Cynthia Tracy of Queens, N.Y.
She also is survived by four granddaughters and their spouses, Chemai Moore, Tennile Hawkins-Shrouder and Ayani Shrouder of Dover, Sharice Tracy-Williams and Wayne Williams and Shakisha Tracy-Appollon and Jean Appollon of Queens; and two grandsons, Eric Mason of Queens and André Moore of Wilmington.
Finally, Mrs. Tracy is survived by 12 great-grandchildren; two loving sisters, Margaret Strand of Tasley, Va., and Dorothy Parker of Salisbury, Md.; three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Leroy and Monzella Bundick and Earl Bundick, all of Accomac, Va., and Rufus and Melba Bundick of Franklin, Va.; two sisters-in-law, Mary Bundick and Helen Bundick, both of Keller, Va.; and a host of precious nieces and nephews whom she cherished greatly.
Arrangements were by Bennie Smith Funeral Home, Dover.
Mary B. Tryon
Memorial services for Mary B. Tryon, 76, of Marydel, were held Saturday, Feb. 10, in the Pippin Funeral Home, Wyoming. Mrs. Tryon died Monday, Feb. 5, 2007, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover.
Mrs. Tryon was born Feb. 6, 1930, in Philadelphia, daughter of the late Edward V. Brown and Rebecca Brown, and the youngest of their five children.
She retired from General Foods, Dover in 1993, then enjoyed her life as a homemaker, spending time with her children and grandchildren.
Mrs. Tryon was an avid reader and Civil War buff.
She was a member of Community Baptist Church, Marydel, of the Eastern Star and enjoyed volunteering at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital.
Mrs. Tryon is survived by two sons and their wives, Stephen and Susan Tryon of Logan, Utah, and Edward and Lesley Tryon of Newark; three daughters and two sons-in-law, Judith and Alan Pekasiewicz of Newark, Joanne and Glenn Neese of Wyoming and Ruth Tryon of Marydel, with whom she lived; a sister, Alberta Quinn of Clifton Heights, Pa.; eight grandchildren, Jesse, Tracy, Chip, Brian, Alex, Amy, Tiffany and Chris; and four great-grandchildren, Joshua, Simone, Joey and Jessica.
Memorial contributions in Mrs. Tryon’s name may be made to Community Baptist Church, c/o Helen Kendall, 27198 Bee Tree Road, Henderson, MD 21640.
Stephen W. Warrington
Funeral services for Stephen W. Warrington, 60, of Dover, were held Friday, Feb. 9, in Torbert Funeral Chapel, Dover. Mr. Warrington died Monday, Feb. 5, 2007, in his home.
Mr. Warrington was born Dec. 2, 1946, in Milford, son of Kathleen Phillips and the late Charles E. “Pete” Warrington.
He attended the University of Delaware and worked for the Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 for 35 years in Kent and New Castle counties.
Mr. Warrington was an avid hunter and enjoyed saltwater fishing. He loved his grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was a homebody who took great pride in his house, yard and the life he built with his wife of 20 years, Paula Kertiles Warrington.
In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by a brother, Bruce Warrington.
In addition to his mother and wife, he is survived by a daughter, Wendi Mills of Hartly; his brother, Mike Warrington of Harbeson; three sisters, Sandy Wyatt of Georgetown, Bonnie Wilkinson of Seaford and Pat Eye of Harbeson; four granddaughters, Sarah, Katie, Samantha and Danielle; and a great-grandchild, Tyler.
Memorial contributions in Mr. Warrington’s name may be made to a charity of choice.
Brig. Gen. Joshua T. West, Delaware National Guard (Ret.)
Memorial services for Joshua T. West, 91, of Lewes, formerly of Dover, were held Sunday, Feb. 11, in Christ Episcopal Church, Dover. Mr. West died Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2007, in Beebe Medical Center, Lewes.
Mr. West was born Nov. 21, 1915, in Millsboro, son of the late Henry J. and Eva Wells West.
He graduated from Millsboro High School in 1933 and the University of Delaware in 1938, where he was president of the Kappa Alpha Fraternity, member of the Court of Honor, student manager of the varsity football team and business manager of the Blue Hens.
Mr. West worked for Retail Credit Co. out of Dover from 1938 to 1940. From 1946 to 1948 he worked with the Veterans Administration in the Dover office. He retired from the Delaware Department of Transportation in 1977 after 29 years of service.
He was past president of the Ten-Year Club and past president of the Credit Union.
Mr. West entered the U.S. Army reserves as a second lieutenant in 1938. He served with the Delaware National Guard from 1940 until 1974, including five and a half years of active duty during World War ll. He retired with the rank of brigadier general, and had received Delaware’s Conspicuous Service Cross three times.
The Delaware National Guard chose Mr. West as their honoree for 1986. He was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross with second bronze star, the state’s highest award for outstanding military service, during Governor’s Day ceremonies held May 12, 1986.
He was a charter member and past president of the DelVets of World War II, a 32nd degree Mason with Union Lodge No. 7, and past president of the state Department of Transportation Trowel Club. He was selected as the Dover Rotary’s Man of the Year in the mid-1950s.
Mr. West was a member of the Caesar Rodney School District board of education from 1963 to 1982, serving as president the majority of those years. He was past president of the Delaware School Board Association that, on Aug. 20, 1983, presented him with the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding contribution to public education.
He had been active in Little League and Pony League programs since 1955, and provided service as a coach, manager, umpire and past president of each league. He was a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Dover.
Mr. West married Frances Handy in 1937; she died in 1999. He was a loving companion to Wilsie Haber of Lewes.
He is survived by two sons and their wives, William G. and Jacki West of Medina, Ohio, and James S. and Nancy West of Newark; a daughter and son-in-law, Kathleen R. and Scott Safford of Smyrna; six grandchildren, Mike Drayton, Chris Drayton, Drew West, Jeff Whisler, Lindsay Robinson and Josh West; and two great-grandchildren, Dillon West and Tyler West.
Interment with military honors was in the Christ Episcopal churchyard.
Memorial contributions in Mr. West’s name may be made to Christ Episcopal Church; the American Heart Association, Walker Road, Dover, DE 19904; or a charity of choice.
Arrangements were by Trader Funeral Home, Dover.
Dorothy A. Allen
A Mass of Christian Burial for Dorothy A. Allen, 88, of Dover, will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 8, in the Church of the Holy Cross, 631 S. State St., Dover, where friends may call beginning at 9 a.m. Mrs. Allen died Saturday, May 3, 2008, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover.
Mrs. Allen was born Oct. 17, 1919, in Brooklyn, N.Y., daughter of the late George and Catherine Fredericks Arrington.
She was a member of the Church of the Holy Cross and the Dover Lioness Club.
Mrs. Allen and her husband owned and operated several businesses in the Camden area. She kept the books and did the paperwork for their dairy farm, grocery store, liquor store and Allen’s Auto Sales.
In her later years, Mrs. Allen served as president of the Lioness Club and served on a committee on problems of the Aging for Kent County.
She loved the challenge of the stock market. She loved and enjoyed her family and friends and going out to eat.
Mrs. Allen was preceded in death by her husband, O. Alvin Allen; and grandson, Mark A. DiFelice.
She is survived by daughter, Brenda Allen DiFelice of Wilmington; a brother and his wife, George W. and Joan Arrington of Mt. Pleasant, S.C.; a sister and her husband, Audrey and Clarence Billings of Milford; a grandson, Joseph A. DeLar of Wilmington; and many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life services for Virginia Brickley, 78, of Dover, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, May 9, at the Trader Funeral Home, 12 Lotus St., Dover, where friends may call beginning at 1 p.m. Mrs. Brickley died Saturday, May 3, 2008, in the Thomas Jefferson Hospital, Philadelphia.
Mrs. Brickley was born Jan. 20, 1930, in Wilkinsburg, Pa., daughter of the late Stanley S. Harner and Virginia E. Werner Harner.
She grew up in Wilkinsburg. After high school she graduated from Miss Conley’s School of Business in East Liberty, Pa., in 1948.
On Feb. 25, 1950, Mrs. Brickley was married to Robert A. Brickley, beginning her lifelong homemaker career. Throughout her life and in support of her husband’s military service she moved her family more than 30 times.
Some of the highlights of her moves include Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., Pittsburgh, Pa., Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, Fort Bliss, Texas, Germany, Chicago, Ill., Rapid City, S.D., Burlington, N.C., Huntsville, Ala., and Letterkenny Army Depot, Pa.
In 1972 she orchestrated her family’s move to their permanent location, Dover.
Mrs. Brickley enjoyed her family, bowling, and Nascar racing.
Throughout her and her husband’s life together she belonged to the Officers’ Spouses Club.
Mrs. Brickley is survived by her husband, retired Maj. Robert A. Brickley of Dover; children, Stephen A. Brickley and Joanie Scheirer of Wescosville, Pa., retired Sgt. 1st Class Reid S. Brickley of Austin, Texas, David P. and JoAnn Brickley of Middlebury, Conn., and Amy S. Brickley and Matthew Murray of Seattle, Wash.
She also is survived by her grandchildren, Suzanne and Todd Metrision, Sgt. Sean and Amanda Brickley, Stephanie Brickley, Elizabeth Brickley, and Pfc. Thomas Brickley; her great-grandchild, Makayla Brickley; and her brother and sister-in-law, Melvin “Chip” and LaVonne Harner.
