03/04/08

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Jesse Alan Gay,
dog breeder
Jesse Alan Gay, 20, of Millsboro, died Friday, Feb. 29, 2008.
Jesse was born on March 9, 1987, in Fredericksburg, Va. to Ronald A. and Jo Ellen Cox Gay of Millsboro.
He was a self-employed dog breeder and trainer. Jesse graduated from Delmarva Christian High School in Georgetown in 2006, attended the Bay Shore Community Church in Gumboro, was voted most valuable basketball player in high school and he also played lacrosse.
He loved hunting, fishing and basketball and he operated a dog breeding business for Staffordshire and Bull Terriers; he was devoted to and loved his dogs.
His best friends were his brothers; he loved his niece and nephew and was equally passionate about all of his family.
In addition to his parents, Jesse is survived by his girlfriend, Krista Wilson of Seaford; two brothers, Eric Gay and his wife Bethany of Millsboro, and Brian Gay and his wife Dasha of Millsboro; paternal grandparents, Robert and Margaret Gay of Vienna, Va.; maternal grandparents, Linwood and Shelly Cox of Leesburg, Va.; a niece, Hailey Gay; a nephew, Luke Gay; many very special friends; and his beloved canine companion “Lexie.”
Services will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 5, at the Bay Shore Community Church in Gumboro, where friends may call one hour before the service. Pastor Danny Tice will officiate.
Interment will be in Woodlawn Memorial Park, Route 113, Millsboro.
The family asks that contributions in memory of Jesse be made to the Delmarva Christian High School Basketball Program, Attn: Kathy Bryan, 21150 Airport Road, Georgetown, DE 19947.
Arrangements by Watson Funeral Home, Millsboro.

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Michael Steven Boyd,
Sunroc manager
Michael Steven Boyd, 52, of Magnolia, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008.
Michael was born on Aug. 31, 1955, in Portsmouth, Va.
He received his bachelor’s degree in history from Williams University in Bristol, R.I., in 1986.
Michael had served his country proudly in the U.S. Navy for six years.
He worked for Sunroc, Dover, as a team leader/line manager until 2005.
Michael was had been volunteering his time and computer skills at the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base.
His many hobbies included computers, building models, photography, NASCAR and watching the New England Patriots.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Genevieve (Rox) Boyd.
He is survived by his father, Forest Melbourn Boyd of Lewes; a brother, Dennis and his wife Janet Boyd of Berwick, Maine; a sister, Linda and her husband Mark Hyler of Magnolia; and nieces and nephews Dennis, Arielle, Daniel, Jennifer and Briana.
Services and burial will be private.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Dover Air Force Base Museum Foundation, 1301 Heritage Road, Dover Air Force Base, DE 19902.

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Howard ‘Tootie’ Brand,
Pipefitters member
Howard “Tootie” W. Brand, 75, of Lewes, passed away Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008, in Beebe Medical Center, Lewes.
Mr. Brand was born Aug. 31, 1932, in Wilmington, to the late Harvey F. and Elsie (Viehman) Brand.
Mr. Brand was employed by the Pipefitters Union Local 74. He worked in the Wilmington area for many years.
He and his wife relocated to Lewes in 1993, at which time he began a 10-year career with Lowe’s in Lewes.
Mr. Brand enjoyed boxing and horse racing.
He was a member of Unity Masonic Lodge 32, Tall Cedars of Lebanon-Brandywine Forest No. 20, Newport, Cape Henlopen Elks Lodge 2540, and the Lewes-Rehoboth Beach Moose Lodge.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Francis and Paul Brand.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Gale (Geiger) Brand; his son, Howard W. Brand Jr. and his wife Wanda of Lewes; two daughters, Cherrie L. Brand of Bear, and Andrea B. Haugh and her husband William of Kennett Square, Pa.; four grandchildren, Leah Haugh, Lauren Haugh, Courtney Brand and Timothy Traynor; two brothers, James Brand of Fair Hill, Md., and Robert Brand and his wife Ruth of Massachusetts; and four sisters, Doris Brown and her husband David of Lewes, Katherine Crockett and her husband Charles of Delaware, Linda Mularczyk and her husband James of Massachusetts and Elsie Spicer and her husband Kenneth of Middletown.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, in Gracelawn Memorial Park Chapel, 2220 DuPont Highway, New Castle, where friends may call one hour prior. Masonic aervices will begin at 1:45 p.m. Graveside services will follow.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Tunnell Cancer Center, 424 Savannah Road, Lewes, DE 19958.

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Dr. Wallace Lecher Jr.,
prominent physician
Dr. Wallace Oman Lecher Jr., 77, of Dagsboro, passed away Friday, Feb. 29, 2008, at Atlantic General Hospital, Berlin, Md.
Born March 2, 1930, in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., he was son to the late Wallace and Elva (Blackwell) Lecher.
He was a 1948 graduate of Upper Darby High School, 1952 graduate of Amherst College and 1956 graduate of Hahnemann Medical College.
Dr. Lecher served his medical internship at the Hahnemann-Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital, Philadelphia, and his urology residency from 1957 to 1961.
He served on the medical staffs of Hahnemann-Fitzgerald Mercy Hospital, Crozer Chester Medical Center and Riddle Memorial Hospital.
Dr. Lecher was the past president of the Philadelphia Hahnemann Medical Association, past treasurer of Hahnemann Alumni Association, past president of staff at Riddle Memorial Hospital, past president of Continued from page 16
Delaware County Medical Society and past treasurer and medical director of the Glen Mills Schools.
He was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Millville.
He practiced urology in Media, Pa., and later opened a general medicine practice in Bethany Beach.
Dr. Lecher was the former medical director for Harbor Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, Lewes, and the Millsboro Rehabilitation Center.
Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Dr. Robert Charles Lecher.
He is survived by his loving wife, Annette Georgette (Kirsch) Lecher; children, Linda Gail Jones, William J. Maher III, Nicole Maguire and Monique Maher; sister, Gail Elizabeth Reynolds; and four grandchildren. Burial will be private.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions in Dr. Lecher’s memory to Bethany Town Cats, P.O. Box 911, Bethany Beach, DE 19930.

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Shirley E. Imlay,
Dairy Bar retiree
Shirley E. Imlay, 72, of Seaford, died Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008, in Christiana Care-Christiana Hospital, Newark.
Mrs. Imlay retired from the Dairy Bar Restaurant, Seaford.
She was preceded in death by a stepson, William D. Imlay, in 1996.
She is survived by her husband of 40 years, William T. Imlay; two sons, John Robert Hall of Seaford and Robert Wilkerson of Milton; three daughters, Terry Edwards of Fruitland, Md., Patricia Gross of Quantico, Md., and Debbie Milne of Milford; two stepdaughters, Connie Powell and Brenda Phillips, both of Seaford; two sisters, June Milne of Willards, Md., and Pauline Hearn of Pittsville, Md.; 19 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held in Cranston Funeral Home, Seaford, with burial in Galestown Cemetery.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests donations to Woodland United Methodist Church, 5123 Woodland Church Road, Seaford, DE 19973.

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Mary Jane Hood,
community volunteer
Mary Jane Hood, 79, of Laurel, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2008, surrounded by her loving family.
Mary Jane was born in Wilmington to the late Robert and Katherine Harrington. During her working career she worked for Strawbridge’s and the DuPont Edgemore Cafeteria. She was a member and volunteer at the Lewes Senior Center and the Henlopen Grange. As a homemaker she most enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren and loved to collect seashells on the Lewes beaches.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Franklin Hood Sr.; and a son, Wayne Hood Sr.; a grandson, Ronald Sipple Jr.; and a granddaughter, Kimberly Marie Hood.
She is survived by her children, Franklin Hood Jr. of Wilmington, Mary Katherine Kaminski of Wilmington, Lena Sipple of Wilmington, Earl Hood of Stanton, Lawrence Hood of Laurel, and Elaine Fleetwood of New Castle; a sister Peggy Dorsey of Claymont; and a brother, Robert Lee Harrington of Elkton, Md. Also surviving are 26 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Services and burial are private.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Heartland Hospice House, 5661 Ochletree Lane, Wilmington, DE 19808.

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Josephine Lewandowski,
bird rescue volunteer
Josephine “Josie” Lewandowski, 71, of Greenville, passed away quietly at her home on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008.
Born in Wilmington, Josie was the daughter of the late Ned and Helen (Gulczynski) Jackson. A graduate of Wilmington High School, she worked a series of bookkeeping jobs for Tower Hill School and Delaware Home Builders Association. She loved talk radio, was an avid golf fanatic and a volunteer for Tri-State Bird Rescue where she assisted with the cleaning of birds victimized by oil spills. She really enjoyed a good Casapulla’s sub. An independent, thoughtful woman, she had a laugh that you would remember. She led a life of quiet contemplation, offering her insights as she would attempt to make sense of the events of our times. Everyone can hold an opinion. The trick is to hold the correct one, she was known to say.
In addition to her parents, Josie was predeceased by her husband, Francis D. Lewandowski, in 1991; and her son, Andrew Scott Lewandowski, in 1965.
She will be missed by her daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer Lynn Lewandowski and Douglas Dubrosky of Bala Cynwyd, Pa.; her sons and daughters-in-law, David F. and Jeanne of West Chester, Pa. and Christopher and Suellen of Newark; and her grandchildren, Brandon, Haley, Emily, Basil and Seth. Also surviving are her sisters, Peg Naughton of Wilmington and Joan Krakowski, and her husband, John, of Newark; and her brothers, Joe Jackson and his wife, Chris, of Wilmington and Eddie Jackson and his wife, Helen, of Millsboro. Funeral services will be celebrated at 10 a.m., Tuesday, March 4, at Mealey Funeral Home, Limestone and Milltown roads, Wilmington. Interment will follow at All Saints Cemetery, Wilmington. In lieu of flowers, the family would request that kindness be offered to one another or, if you prefer, contributions to Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research Inc., 110 Possum Hollow Road, Newark, DE 19711.