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 William Thomas Thornburg, 73, of Dover, were held Saturday, Dec. 15, in Trader Funeral Home, Dover. Mr. Thornburg died Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007, at his home.
Mr. Thornburg was born April 18, 1934, in Pittsburgh, Pa., son of the late William Edward Thornburg and Camilla Rose Bridgeman Thornburg.
He enjoyed working in services; he was retired from the U.S. Air Force, in which he had served in the Korea and Vietnam wars and also was retired as a lieutenant in the state prison system. He also worked part time for the State Fleet Services.
Mr. Thornburg was loving husband and father. He loved his family and dog Kuma very much. He will be remembered for his sense of humor, and witty comments.
Mr. Thornburg was lifelong member of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 3.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Marina B. Filler Thornburg in 2006.
Mr. Thornburg is survived by three sons and a daughter-in-law, William E. and Laura Thornburg of Middletown, Paul A. Thornburg of Middletown and Stephen T. Thornburg of Dover; a daughter and son-in-law, Jean C. and Ralph Taylor of Dover; and seven grandchildren, Matthew J. Smenkowski, Joshua N. Thornburg, Aneya B. Taylor, Devan Taylor, William T. Thornburg, Lillian B. Thornburg, and Megan Slaughter.
Interment was in Sharon Hills Memorial Park, Dover.
Memorial contributions in Mr. Thornburg’s name may be made to the Salvation Army or Compassionate Care Hospice, 5610 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE 19808.
Marvin ‘Sugarboy’ Thorpe
Funeral services for Marvin “Sugarboy” Thorpe, 77, of Felton, will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19, in the chapel of Berry-Short Funeral Home, Main Street, Felton. Mr. Thorpe died Saturday, Dec. 15, 2007, in his home surrounded by his loved ones.
Mr. Thorpe was born Feb. 27, 1930, in Henderson, Md., son of the late Charles H. Thorpe Sr. and Emma Jane Russum Thorpe.
He worked at Playtex in Dover for 41 years and retired several years ago. He always enjoyed the simpler things in life and raising his family.
Mr. Thorpe loved the land and animals and in his younger years, enjoyed hunting.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Josephine W. Thorpe in 1997; a daughter, Emma Jayne Benjamin; two brothers, Charles Thorpe and Edward Thorpe; and five sisters, Phyllis McCarrier, Mildred Cannon, Helen Rhul, Rosezene Edwards and Myrtle Keifer.
Mr. Thorpe is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Marvin E. Jr. and Vicky Thorpe and Gary E. Thorpe and his friend Donna Workman; a daughter and son-in-law, Mary E. and George H. White, all of Felton; seven grandchildren, Marvin E. Thorpe III of Florida, Tiffany Ellmore of Felton, Shawn Ellmore of Kansas, Herbert Hitchner of Smyrna, Jayne Bisiliko of Woodside, Veronica Thorpe of Milford and Destiny Thorpe of Little Heaven; a step granddaughter, AnnMarie Johnson; a step grandson, Matthew Elliott; nine great-grandchildren; three step great-grandchildren; a brother, Carl Thorpe of Harrington; and a sister, Doris Puckett of Sudlersville, Md.
Memorial contributions can be made to VITAS Hospice, 100 Commerce Drive, Suite 302, Newark, DE 19713.
Pearl Margaret Blades Torbert
Funeral services for Pearl Margaret Blades Torbert, 99, of Felton, were held Tuesday, Dec. 18, in the chapel of Berry-Short Funeral Home, Felton. Mrs. Torbert died peacefully Friday, Dec. 14, 2007, at Westminster Village in Dover.
Mrs. Torbert was born Sept. 14, 1908, on a farm near Harrington, daughter of the late J. Howard and Lillie Scott Blades.
She received her education through the Felton School District.
She later met and married Lynn F. Torbert of Felton, with whom she celebrated more than 60 years together before his death in 1991.
The Torberts traveled to many parts of the country and to several islands.
They had left Felton to take an undertaking position in Wilmington, but returned in 1950. It was then that they built their home and operated two grocery stores, along with Lynn's brother Russell, known as Torbert’s Market and Torbert Bros. They also owned and operated farms in the Felton area for many years.
Mrs. Torbert was a homemaker and enjoyed baking cakes and pies, making soup and doing special handcrafted projects of knitting and crocheting. She enjoyed oil painting and painting china. She also was a very opinionated lady who knew what she wanted.
Mrs. Torbert was a member of the Felton United Methodist Church, Rebekah Lodge No. 16, Felton Avon Club and the Felton Alumni Association.
She is survived by a godson, Thomas Chambers of Chicago, Ill.; many nieces and nephews; and a host of extended family and friends.
Memorial contributions in Mrs. Torbert’s name may be made to the Rebekah Lodge No. 16, c/o Colleen Whitt, P.O. Box 284, Felton, DE 19943; or Felton Avon Club, c/o Nancy Vansant, 24445 Paradise Alley Road, Felton, DE 19943.
William M. Yerkie Jr.
William M. Yerkie Jr., 49, of Dover, died Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007, at his home.
Mr. Yerkie was born Nov. 20, 1958, in Dover, son of the late William Yerkie Sr. and Peggy Ann Failing Yerkie.
He served in the U.S. Army between 1977 and 1981 in Fort Dix, N.J., and Fairbanks, Alaska. Mr. Yerkie grew up working in heating and air-conditioning for more than 25 years of his life with his father and brother.
He enjoyed cooking, gardening, music, movies, “The Three Stooges,” “The Twilight Zone,” NASCAR, pets and partying. He was one to always make people laugh to help forget their problems. He was kind and opinionated, always willing to lend a hand or offer the shirt off his back.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Yerkie was preceded in death by his soul mate of 25 years, Tracy Hobbs.
He is survived by a son, William M. “Rootie” Yerkie III, and his son’s mother, Connie Manbeck, both of Magnolia; a brother, James B. Yerkie Sr. of Dover; a sister, Tara A. Yerkie of Hartly; three nephews and a niece, Aaron W. Pippin, Brandon R. Yerkie, Ashley M. Yerkie, James B. Yerkie II, and their mother, Cheryl A.; two uncles and the wife of one, Ernest and Marion Yerkie and Edward Yerkie; two aunts, Doris Thompson and Laura Winkler; a dear friend, Elizabeth Keyek; and many cousins.
Services will be held at the convenience of the family.
Arrangements are by Trader Funeral Home.
Eleanor F. Aldworth
Memorial services for Eleanor F. Aldworth, 89, of Dover, were held Thursday, Nov. 15, in the London Village Baptist Church, Magnolia. Mrs. Aldworth died Monday, Nov. 12, 2007, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover.
Mrs. Aldworth was born April 14, 1918, in Hurstbourne Tarrent, England, to the late Victor John and Ellen Porter White.
She was a bookkeeper in the retail industry in England, retiring in 1972 after working for 38 years.
Mrs. Aldworth loved gardening and flowers -- especially roses -- and embroidery, knitting and being with her family.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Anthony Edward Aldworth, who preceded her in death in 2001; and by a brother, Brian Victor White, in 2006.
Mrs. Aldworth is survived by a son, Alan White-Aldworth of Surrey, England, and his wife Catherine; a daughter and son-in-law, Margaret Aldworth Whitman and William Whitman of Dover; six grandchildren, Simon, Claire, James and Georgina of England, Clayton of Phoenix, Ariz., and Melissa of Dover; four great-grandchildren, Becx, Merlyn, Devon and Ethan, all from England; nephew, David Stephen Aldworth of England; and a niece, Josephine Campling of England.
Arrangements were by the Torbert Funeral Chapel, Dover.
Master Sgt. John H. Darden, USAF (Ret.)
John H. Darden of Kenton passed away Friday, Nov. 16, 2007, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21, in the Faries Funeral Chapel, 29 S. Main St., Smyrna.
Mr. Darden was born April 15, 1935, in LaGrange, Ga., son of the late John H. Jr. and Dorothy Edwards Darden.
He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War, and was very proud to have served his country. He flew many missions into and out of Vietnam, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one campaign star, the Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Mr. Darden retired as a loadmaster superintendent at Dover Air Force Base in 1979 at the rank of master sergeant after 26 years of service. Following retirement, he worked as a loadmaster for the Air Force Reserves and later worked as a civil service air traffic controller.
Mr. Darden also was involved in C-5 static displays throughout the world.
He was a member of the American Legion Post No. 28, Millsboro.
Mr. Darden was an avid gardener and enjoyed boating, fishing, camping and relaxing at his beach house.
He is survived by his wife, Marietta DiGiovanni Darden; two sons, John Darden and Daniel Darden, both of Gray, Ga.; a daughter, Jodi Mann of LaGrange; a sister, Anne Avera of LaGrange; and six grandchildren.
Memorial services will be in LaGrange at a later date.
Senior Master Sgt. Johnnie Drew Jr., USAF (Ret.)
Funeral services for Johnnie Drew Jr., 76, of Dover, were held Monday, Nov. 19, in the Bennie Smith Funeral Home, Dover. Mr. Drew died Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007, at home.
Mr. Drew was born in Palmyra, N.C., the son of the late Johnnie and Annie Mae Drew Sr.
He graduated from Northampton County High School, Machipongo, Va.
Mr. Drew attended Trenton State Teachers College in Trenton, N.J., and Delaware State College in Dover, majoring in business education and business administration, respectively.
He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1970 as a personnel superintendent and from the state of Delaware in 1991 as a personnel administrator.
During his tenure with the Delaware Office of State Personnel, he served in several positions, including special assistant to the director for policies and procedures, deputy director and acting director.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son and daughter and by a brother and sister.
Mr. Drew is survived by his wife, Elizabeth “Betty” A. Drew of Dover; a granddaughter, Crystal Nicole Scott of Dallas; a son-in-law, Clifford Scott of Dover; two brothers, Ernest L. Doggett Sr. of Cranbury, N.J., and Clarence Doggett of Cookstown, N.J.; three sisters-in-law, Betty, Carolyn and Polly; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Interment with full military honors will be in the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear.
