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 Margaret E. “Betty” Gorski, 73, of Bowers Beach will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, in Faries Funeral Chapel, 29 S. Main St., Smyrna, where friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. the night before. Mrs. Gorski died Saturday, Dec. 4, 2004, in her home.
Mrs. Gorski was born July 26, 1931, in Smyrna, the daughter of the late Olin and Violet Rash Clampitt. She lived in Smyrna before moving to Bowers Beach.
She was a cafeteria worker for the Smyrna School District and later was a private home health care provider. She had previously worked as a beautician and as a supervisor at ILC of Dover, Frederica, manufacturing space suits.
She enjoyed woodworking with her husband, making afghans and crocheting.
Mrs. Gorski was a member of the Bowers Beach Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary and the Frederica Senior Center.
She is survived by her husband of 54 years, James G. Gorski; two daughters and a son-in-law, Shelley and Frank Gorski of Bowers Beach and Barbara Gorski of Smyrna; and several cousins.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to the Frederica Senior Center Inc., P.O. Box 165, 216 South Market St., Frederica, DE 19946-0165.
Funeral services for Herman Joynes, 85, of Dover were held Saturday, Dec. 4, in the Minus Funeral Home, Dover. Mr. Joynes died from complications of pneumonia, Monday, Nov. 29, 2004, in Beebe Medical Center, Lewes.
Mr. Joynes was born Oct. 3, 1919, in Accomack County, Va., son of the late Alfred and Nanny Joynes.
He served in the U.S. Army for 15 years.
Mr. Joynes had worked as a horse groomer.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Joynes.
He is survived by two sons, McKinley Joynes of Exmore, Va., and Charles Joynes of Philadelphia; a daughter, Martha Hudson of Dover; a brother, Willie Lee Joynes of Philadelphia; a sister, Estella Drummond of Philadelphia; and four grandchildren.
Interment was in Sharon Hill Memorial Park, Dover.
Josephine ‘Jo Thompson’ Lagemann
Josephine “Jo Thompson” Lagemann, 89, of Dover died Sunday Dec. 5, 2004.
Mrs. Lagemann was born Nov. 25, 1915, in Wilmington, daughter of the late Joseph M. Wilson and Carolyn Poynter.
She retired in 1990 from public services after 13 years as a financial clerk. She was a member and past employee of the Modern Maturity Center in Dover.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis Lagemann.
Mrs. Lagemann is survived by her son, Richard A. Thompson Sr.; a daughter and son-in-law, Fay E. and Pat Timmins; nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements were by Torbert Funeral Chapels, Dover.
Funeral services were private.
Roger Leon Laughman
Funeral services for Roger Leon Laughman, 63, of Dover were held Friday, Dec. 3, at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Millsboro. Mr. Laughman died Thursday, Nov. 25, 2004, at home in the loving care of his daughter, Vanessa Laughman.
He was born July 18, 1941, in Rossville, Pa., to the late Aubrey and Violet Shepp Blankenship Laughman.
Mr. Laughman worked at Rapid Distribution Inc., General Foods, Standard Brands and Consolidated Freightways. He was a truck driver for 26 years, mostly for cross country long distance hauling. Throughout his career was he awarded several safe driving awards. He also was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
He took tap dancing lessons as a child and enjoyed playing the organ, roller skating, traveling, woodworking and riding his motorcycle.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Laughman was preceded in death by his stepmother, Belle “Allean” Laughman; and a sister, Audrey Schultz.
He is survived by two daughters, Vanessa L. Laughman and Vonda R. Kane of Dover; a brother, Lorne Laughman of Rossville, Pa.; a grandson, Justin M. Laughman of Dover; and friends, William “Billy” and Jean Green, and Ronald “Ronnie” Williams.
Funeral services for William E. Morris Jr., 51, of Dover were held Saturday, Dec. 4, in the Faries Funeral Home, Dover. Mr. Morris died after a long and courageous struggle with cancer Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover.
Mr. Morris was he son of Pearl and the late William E. Morris Sr., and was a 1971 graduate of Dover High School.
He was employed among others, by Excell Construction, Best Drywall and Doors and Drywall. Most of his working career centered around construction.
Mr. Morris’ favorite hobbies were watching NFL football, cooking and gardening. He loved life and fought hard to overcome his illness.
He was preceded in death by his father in 1979.
Mr. Morris is survived by the love of his life, Becky Manahan of Dover and her son, Kevin Robeson of Milford; three sons, William E. Morris III of Camden, and Michael Morris and Justin Morris, both of Altoona, Pa.; his mother and stepfather, Pearl and Calvin Barlow of Dover; and two sisters, Dottie Reed of Felton and Cindy VanSant of Camden.
He also is survived by a stepsister, Betty Rurka of Oakland, Fla.; a brother, Luke Morris of Dover; two brothers-in-law, Sonny Reed of Felton and Eric VanSant of Milford; many nieces and nephews; and two lifetime friends, Danny Bittner and Bobbie Tudor, both of Dover
Gladys A. Paradee, 86, of Dover died Monday, Nov. 29, 2004, in Westminster Village Assisted Living.
Mrs. Paradee was born Feb. 2, 1918, in Little Creek, daughter of the late John and Fannie Anold.
She is survived by her nephew, W. Charles Paradee Jr. of Smyrna; and a niece, Eleanor Lee Cain of Wilmington.
Arrangements were by Torbert Funeral Chapels, Dover.
Services were private, with Interment in Silver Lake Cemetery, Dover.
Clara Virginia Purnell
Funeral services for Clara Virginia Purnell, 63, of Dover were held Tuesday, Dec. 7, in Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home, Millington, Md. Mrs. Purnell died of congestive heart failure Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004, in Dorchester General Hospital, Cambridge, Md.
Mrs. Purnell was born Sept. 1, 1941, in Rock Hall, Md., daughter of Clara Mae Joiner Elburn of Preston, Md. and the late Samuel Earl Elburn.
She and her husband resided in Crumpton for many years and moved to Dover in 1979, where they lived for the remainder of their life together.
Mrs. Purnell worked as a switchboard operator for a number of companies.
She enjoyed reading, sewing, and most of all, she enjoyed her family,
In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by her husband, whom she married in 1959, Elmer Purnell, in 2002.
In addition to her mother, Mrs. Purnell is survived by two sons, William “Randy” Purnell of Felton and Danny Purnell of Biloxi, Miss.; a daughter and a son-in-law, Lou Ann and Robert Justice of Dover; two brothers, Sam E. Elburn Jr. of Easton, Md., and David L. Elburn of Ridgely, Md.; and four sisters, Sylvia M. Clark of Preston, Alice M. Clark of Felton, Helen R. Carihan of Florida and Faye Meyers of Preston.
She also is survived by seven grandchildren, Carolynn Purnell of Geneva, Ohio, Robert John Justice and Christopher Allen Justice, both of Dover, Melissa Purnell of Milford, Amanda Justice of Dover, and Brandon Purnell and Christopher D. Fox, both of Milford; and two great-grandchildren, Jacob Rogerson of Geneva and Garrett Stamper of Geneva.
A Mass of Christian Burial for Denis J. Reckner, 69, of Dover, will be held at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, 2004, at the Church of the Holy Cross, 631 S. State St., Dover. Friends may call from 7 until 9 p.m. the night before at Torbert Funeral Chapels, 1145 E. Lebanon Road, Dover. Mr. Reckner died Friday, Dec. 3, 2004, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital.
Mr. Reckner was born May 29, 1935, in Philadelphia, son of the late Joseph Patrick and Elva Marie Dugan Reckner.
A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Reckner spent his entire career with the 326th Military Airlift Squadron as a flightline mechanic, beginning in 1957. He served both on active duty and in the USAF Reserve as a flight engineer, with duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. He also took part in the Israeli airlift, Operation Nickel Grass.
As a longtime member of the Kent County Theatre Guild and the Community Singers, Mr. Reckner was well-known, mostly in such roles as usher, assistant director and stage manager, the latter most recently on last season’s comedy Noises Off!
“Denny just loved the people,” recalled Mike Polo, current KCTG board chair and a cast member of Noises. “He loved working with actors and he loved being backstage,” he said, noting Denny, as his friends knew him, never aspired to be a director and seldom trod the boards, preferring to remain behind the scenes.
Theater was a love he also shared with his wife of 39 years, Toshiko “Toddie” Reckner of Dover. “They always came as a team. They complimented each other well,” Polo said.
Mr. Reckner also was a member of the Church of the Holy Cross, Dover, the Blue Hen Power Squadron boating club and was a devoted Philadelphia Phillies fan. He loved the Hatteras and Outer Banks areas of North Carolina.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Michael Denis and Tracy Reckner of Newark; and two grandchildren, Nikolas Michael and Reid Elizabeth Reckner.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Wellness Community, 812 S. Bradford Street, Dover, DE 19904.
Interment will be in Sharon Hills Memorial Park, Dover.
