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.
Camden, Del. - Charles L. Trump, 74, of Camden, died Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009, in the Capitol Nursing Home, Dover.
Born March 20, 1934, in Dover, he was the son of the late Charles and Lillie Trump.
Mr. Trump was a farmer, who enjoyed hunting, fishing and loved to work in his garage.
He is survived by Nancy Luff Trump, his wife of 39 years; a daughter, Nancy Reedy of Dover; four grandchildren, Samantha, Mandy, Daniel and Edward Reedy; two nieces, Tracy Robinson and Lois Haley; and two sisters-in-law, Dorothy Evans and Diane Sunnekalb, both of Harrington.
Interment was in the Sharon Hills Memorial Park, west of Dover.
Funeral arrangements were by the Pippin Funeral Home, Camden.
Arthur Harry Butterworth Jr.
Camden, Del. - Friends of the late Arthur Harry Butterworth Jr., 73, of Camden, may call on the family at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Whatcoat United Methodist Church, Main Street, Camden.
Mr. Butterworth died Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009, at the Delaware Hospice Center, Milford.
Born April 3, 1935, in Passaic, N.J., he was the son of the late Arthur Harry Butterworth and Helen Remick Butterworth.
Mr. Butterworth lived in Dingmans Ferry, Pa., for 23 years before moving to Camden five years ago. He had attended Farleigh Dickinson University and was a member of the National Guard for six years.
He had worked as an operations supervisor for American Cyanamid in Wayne, N.J., for 30 years before retiring in 1990.
Mr. Butterworth attended Whatcoat United Methodist Church, and was a member of the AARP of Milford, Pa., where he had served as president. He enjoyed camping, traveling, boating, sports, gardening and home repairs.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Valarie Morissette.
Mr. Butterworth is survived by Margaret Butterworth, his wife of 51 years; two sons and their wives, Douglas and Annie Butterworth of Old Forge, N.Y., and Bradford and Monica Butterworth of East Stroudsburg, Pa.; a daughter and son-in-law, Cynthia and John Neill of Saranac Lake, N.Y.; and five grandchildren.
Funeral arrangements are by the Pippin Funeral Home, Wyoming.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital Cancer Center, 640 S. State St., Dover, DE 19901; or the Delaware Hospice Center, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE 19963.
Ralph Emerson “Sonny” Mills Jr.
Dover, Del. — Ralph Emerson “Sonny” Mills Jr., 73, of Dover, died Monday, Dec. 13, 2010, at home.
Born May 17, 1937, in Milford, Mr. Mills was the son of the late Mary Elizabeth Patterson and Ralph E. Mills Sr.
A graduate of Milford High School in 1955, he then graduated from Goldey Beacom Business College in 1957 and East Carolina University in 1959 with degrees in accounting and business administration.
Mr. Mills began his career as an accountant at International Latex Corporation in Dover where he met his wife, Helen LaVere. The two were married Dec. 2, 1961. A job transfer in 1969 took he and his family to East Windsor Township, N.J., for seven years before they returned to Dover where Mr. Mills continued his successful business career.
Purchasing his first business in 1975, the Liquor Locker in Dover, he then partnered with his nephew and went on to own several other businesses, including Hamlet Wine & Spirits in Dover, the Country Cupboard and County Liquors in Sandtown. A fifth business venture took Mr. Mills to Ocean City, Md., where he partnered with friend and his nephew to purchase a TJ Cinnamons Franchise.
He was proud to have attained the rank of Eagle Scout and his many pastimes included bowing, crossword puzzles and Sudoku.
With all his success, Mr. Mills considered his greatest accomplishment his family.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Helen LaVere Mills of Dover; three sons, Kevin David Mills and his wife Kim of Dover, Randy Emerson Mills of Dover, and Tim Mills and his wife Amy of Denver, Colo.; a sister, Patricia Gregg of Milford; six grandchildren, Meghan, Rachel, Kennedy, Braeden, Hadley and Landen; a special cousin, Doris Willis of Milford; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to Compassionate Care Hospice, 5610 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE 19808.
Nina Mae Peyser
Dover, Del. — Nina Mae Peyser, 78, originally of Dover, died in her sleep on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2010, at her home in Wilmington.
Mrs. Peyser graduated from Delaware State College with honors in 1980 and worked as a financial accountant for J.P. Morgan in Wilmington for 15 years. She also attained her Masters in Accounting while working at J.P. Morgan in 1989.
She loved the beach, was an avid reader, and enjoyed cooking and entertaining, golf, classic movies, and spending time with her daughters Martine and Monique.
Mrs. Peyser’s memory will endure as a funny, unique and vibrant lady as she maintained an open door where there was always good spirits, great food, music and laughter. She was loved by many who will miss her and treasure her memory always.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, a daughter, Montana, in 1962, and her youngest son, Mitchell, in 1986.
Her daughters have requested that in lieu of flowers donations be made to Autism Speaks at www.autismspeaks.org.
Maria Ann Judy
Dover, Del. — Friends may call on the family of Maria Ann Judy, 63, of Dover, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8, at Trader Funeral Home, Dover. Services will be at 7:30 p.m. followed by interment at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Millsboro.
There will be a celebration of life at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at the Felton Fire Hall.
Mrs. Judy died Thursday, Dec. 2, 2010, at Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital surrounded by her family.
Born July 17, 1947, in Baltimore, Md., she was the daughter of Violet E. Stricklin of Felton and the late William H. Stricklin Sr.
Mrs. Judy graduated from Patapsco High School in Baltimore in 1965. She was employed by the state of Delaware in human resources for 24 years. She loved nothing more than spending time with her family, especially her grandson, Grayson.
Her laugh, smile and witty sense of humor will be deeply missed by all that knew and loved her.
Mrs. Judy is survived by her husband of 42 years, Douglas J. Judy of Dover; two sons, Lonnie L. Judy and his wife Laurie A. of Felton, and Michael T. Judy and his wife Debbie D. of Camden; a grandson, Grayson M. Judy of Camden; a sister, Marilyn A. Brewer and her husband Ron of Felton; a brother, William H. Stricklin Jr. and his wife Terri of Baltimore; and a host of extended family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Kent County SPCA in Mrs. Judy’s honor.
Hattye Mae Biddle
Hattye Mae Biddle, a much-beloved figure in Delaware educational, political and civic circles, died in Dover on April 4, 2012 at the age of 96.
Co-founder of The Little School, she was also a Delaware Mother of the Year, a longtime docent for the Delaware State Museums, a board member of several nonprofit organizations, and the loving wife for 79 years of Millard Biddle, who survives her.
Hattye Mae met Millard behind the counter of a five-and-dime in Harrington, Del., an encounter which inspired their favorite song, “I Met a Million-Dollar Baby at the 5&10-Cent Store.” After they married, the couple established Biddle’s Market, a grocery store in Dover at Division & Governor’s Avenue. Following the closing of the market, Hattye Mae established The Little School in Dover, the first private pre-school and kindergarten in lower Delaware, in 1956. She sold the school to Jane Richter in 1975; it is still in operation today as The Little School at Kids Cottage.
After leaving the Little School, Hattye Mae worked as a museum guide for many years in the Dover office of the State of Delaware’s Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, a job which gave her the chance to share her love for Dover and her innate sense of hospitality. She also put those qualities to good use as the chair of several Dover Days celebrations, and as the operator, with Millard, of the city’s first bed and breakfast, whose guests included (during his time as state treasurer) U.S. Senator Tom Carper. Both Biddles were active in Democratic politics over the years; Millard served as a Dover City Councilman and a county appraiser, and Hattye Mae volunteered for numerous campaigns. Even in the political sphere, Hattye Mae’s cooking skills came in handy; her orange pound cake was a favorite of Governor Sherman Tribbett.
Hattye Mae was a longtime member of People’s Church in Dover, where she taught Sunday school and worked with the youth fellowship. She was also a member of Women’s Fellowship and served as a deacon. She was a member of the Nursery Kindergarten Association of Delaware and a board member of the Kent-Sussex Industries. She and Millard were a familiar sight at Christmastime when they played Santa and Mrs. Claus at The Little School and The Governor’s House.
Named Delaware Mother of the Year in 1976, Hattye Mae had three children, Grover Allen Biddle (who died in 2006); Lawrence Joseph Biddle of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and Nancy Jo Lambertson of Dover. In addition to her husband, son and daughter, Hattye Mae is survived by daughter-in-law, Connie Biddle of Dover; son-in-law, Al Lambertson; David Warner, partner of Lawrence; grandchildren, Steven Biddle (and wife Linda) of Phoenix, AZ; Mark (and wife Laurie) of Dover; Christopher (and wife Barrett) of Wayland, MA; David (and wife Valerie) of Chadds Ford, PA; Angela Hunter (and husband Tim) of Dover; Elizabeth Gaylord (and husband Terry) of Cabot, AR; Nicholas Lambertson (and wife Kasey) of Dover; Joshua Lambertson of Dover; and 15 great-grandchildren. One grandchild, Andrew Biddle (son of Lawrence), died in 2007.
A Celebration of Life service for Hattye Mae Biddle will take place April 28, 2012 at Westminster Village, Dover, from 2 to 4 p.m. Please send remembrances for a memory book, to be received by April 16, to Larryjbid dle@me.com or to Connie Biddle, 15 South Turnberry Drive, Dover, DE 19904.
In lieu of flowers, send donations to the Hattye Mae Biddle Fund benefiting Delaware’s children, c/o Delaware Community Foundation, 100 West Tenth St., Wilmington, DE 19899.
George W. Priddy
Dover, Del. — Mr. George W. Priddy, age 76, of Newark, DE, passed away on Friday, December 2, 2011.
Born in Lange, WV, on April 11, 1935, Mr. Priddy was the son of the late Robert Priddy and Mary Ferguson Priddy. As a young man, he proudly served his country in the US Army until his honorable discharge in 1960. In 1961, he moved from Chesapeake, WV, to Delaware, where he accepted a position as an assemblyman with the former Chrysler Corporation in Newark. A member of UAW Local #1183, he retired from Chrysler after a 30-year career.
An avid outdoorsman throughout his life and a longtime member of the Good Sam Club, Mr. Priddy delighted in taking his family on camping vacations each year.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 39 years, Jane A. Jones Priddy, in 1999. He is survived by his children, Kimberly A. Naylor (William) of Wyoming, DE, Bart A. “Tony” Priddy (Christine) of Plainfield, IL, and Tara E. Kriebel of Godfrey, IL; sisters, Frances Jones and Nancy Dunlap of Dunbar, WV, Mary Rucker of Charleston, WV, and Roberta Phillips of Ravenswood, WV; twelve grandchildren; 2 great granddaughters; and companion, Emily Ford of Newark, DE.
Interment was at in Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear, DE.
Ruby Athalene Akers
Dover, Del. — Ruby Athalene Akers, 76, of Dover, Delaware, passed away on January 6, 2012, of respiratory failure at BayHealth Kent General Hospital with her family at her bedside.
Born April 11, 1935 in Jumping Branch, West Virginia, she’s the daughter of Olonzo and Mary Quesenberry. She graduated Shady Spring High School in 1953 and married Lee C. Akers in 1954, moving to Delaware in 1963. Where she was preceded in death by her husband Lee Coleman Akers and eldest son Roger Lee Akers.
She is survived by her children, grandchildren and great grandchild as follows: a son and daughter-in-law Gregory and Heather Akers, their children Julia Akers, Coleman Akers, and Melanie Akers of Dover. A daughter and son-in-law Rebecca and Genaro Luis, their daughter Rose and her son Jhymier, of Camden. A daughter and son-in-law Kathy and Thomas Heinz of York, South Carolina, their daughter Ashley Heinz of Dover. Kimberly Akers, her daughter and son-in-law Sara and Chris Cooper of Dover, daughter Rachael Akers of Wilmington, and her son Alexander Budd of Dover, and daughter and son-in-law Mary and Drew Mensack of Smyrna.
A memorial service is planned for the evening of Thursday, January 12, 2012, from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. at the First Southern Baptist Church on South Little Creek Road, Dover, Delaware. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to The Shriner’s Hospital for Children and or the Kent County SPCA in the name of Ruby Akers. Her final resting place will be along side her husband in West Virginia.
Sincerest thanks to the staff at BayHealth Kent General Hospital for all the love and care Mother received during her stay and final moments. We are grateful for such caring and dedicated people whose genuine feelings touched our lives in a time of need.
Thanks to Friends and Family, the entire Hartung Family, Kathy and Tom Heinz, Becky and Jose Luis, the Roans, the Johnsons, the Finchs, the Manns, the Blankenships, the Svabys, Bill Torbert and Torbert Funeral Chapels, the staff of The Modern Maturity Center, Pastor Osgood and The First Southern Baptist Church, mom’s nurse “Julie” during her brief stay at Capitol Nursing, all brothers with special thanks to Jim Blasius and Dave Truax. To the staff of Glamour Nails, moms visits there were considered therapeutic and always a happy treat for her with special thanks to Katrina, Trish and her mother. There are so many others, please know you are appreciated.
