02/06/09

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Richard R. Preston, Super Fresh clerk
Richard R. Preston, 58, of Georgetown, died Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009, at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford.
Richard was born in North East, Md., son of the late William and Idella Reynolds Preston.
He was a clerk with Super Fresh in Salisbury, Md. for 40 years. Richard was a member of Bethel U.M. Church in Lewes, where he enjoyed singing in the choir. He also enjoyed collecting antique bottles.
Richard had a love of Little League and had served for many years as a coach and umpire for Georgetown Little League and Sussex Central. He also coached and refereed soccer for Sussex Tech and Sussex Central.
He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Charlotte Brooks Preston; two children, Christy Preston and Scott Preston, both of Georgetown; two sisters, Kay McGlothin, of Perryville, Md. and Lana Preston, of Gulfport, Miss.; and a brother, Robert Preston, of Rising Sun, Md.
A funeral service will be held at noon, Friday, Feb. 6, in the chapel of Short Funeral Services, 609 E. Market St., Georgetown, where friends may call after 10 a.m. Burial will be in Bethel Methodist Cemetery in Lewes.
Flowers are accepted or contributions can be made to Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriots Way, Milford DE 19963 or the American Cancer Society, PO Box 163, Salisbury MD 21803.

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Lillie Beckett, Georgetown resident
Lillie Beckett, 85, of Georgetown, died Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009, at Delaware Hospice Center, Milford.
A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, at Friendship Baptist Church, Lewes.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7, at Friendship Baptist Church, Lewes, where friends may also call two hours prior to the funeral.
Burial will be in Peoples Memorial Cemetery, Lewes.
Arrangements are being handled by Bennie Smith Funeral Home, Millsboro.

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Armstrong B. Cullen Jr., retired engineer
Armstrong Barratt Cullen Jr., 86, of Dover, died Monday, Feb. 2, 2009, in Kent General Hospital.
Mr. Cullen was born March 18, 1922, in Wilmington to the late Armstrong Barratt Cullen Sr. and Anna Ozella Saville Cullen. He attended the Octagonal School House and Dover High School. He was a graduate of Augusta Military Academy and North Carolina State University.
Mr. Cullen was stationed in England during World War II as a member of the 8th Air Force, United States Army Air Corps. He retired from the Delaware National Guard with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Mr. Cullen retired after more than 30 years of service as an engineer for the Delaware Department of Transportation. He served as a member of the Dover Planning Commission from 1966-87 and as a member of the Dover City Council from 1974-76. Mr. Cullen was also a member of the Masonic Union Lodge 7 and Del Vets in Dover.
Mr. Cullen is survived by his wife of 62 years, Katherine Louise Cullen of Dover; a son, A. Barratt Cullen III and his wife Sharon Rose of Rehoboth Beach; two daughters, Ann R. Cullen and her husband Leonard Nurmi of Darnestown, Md., and Elizabeth Christian Cullen and her husband J.G. Downing of Truckee, Calif.; a sister, Rebecca Cullen Warren of Dover; grandchildren, A. Barratt Cullen IV, Harper Fisk Cullen, Emma Louise Downing and Jacob Edward Downing.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, Feb. 6, at Christ Episcopal Church, 501 S. State St., Dover. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to Christ Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1374, Dover, DE 19903 or All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 18 Olive Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971. Arrangements by Torbert Funeral Chapels, Dover.

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Charles V. Buch, retired machinist
Charles V. Buch, 75, of Lewes, formerly of Lancaster, Pa., died Monday, Feb. 2, 2009, at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes.
He was born Aug. 9, 1933, in Manheim, Pa., son of the late Leroy Becker Buch and Della Dunkle Buch.
He was a machinist employed by RCA & Burnham Corp in Lancaster until his retirement in 2001. After his retirement, he worked at the Wal-Mart in Rehoboth Beach and Dynamics Physical Therapy in Rehoboth Beach. He was a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1952-60 where he served in the Korean War.
Charles was a member of the Cape Henlopen Elks Lodge, American Legion Post 5 of Rehoboth Beach, Lewes-Rehoboth Moose Lodge, the VFW of Manheim and the Lancaster Leiderkrantz.
He enjoyed living at the beach and was an avid fisherman.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Irmgard Branninger Buch in 1981; his brothers, John and Robert; and sisters, Beatrice, Dorothy and Della.
He is survived by his wife of 18 years, Julie Sheaffer Weaver Buch; two sons, Ronald Buch and his wife Mary and Michael Buch and his friend April Steffish; three stepsons, Scott Weaver and his wife Joanie, Curt Weaver and his wife Julie and Eric Weaver and his wife Becky; a brother, Earl Buch and his wife Evelyn; three sisters, Betty Eshleman and husband Charles, Theresa Zerphy and husband Tom and Patricia Eshleman and husband James; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m., Monday, Feb. 9, at the chapel of Melson Funeral Services on Long Neck Road, where friends may call after 10:30 a.m., followed byinterment at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Millsboro.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions in Charles’s memory to Cape Henlopen Elks #2540, PO Box 68, Nassau, DE 19969.

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Joan S. Clover, Milton homemaker
Joan S. Clover, 70, of Milton, passed away Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009, at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes. She was born Jan. 17, 1939, in Philadelphia, Pa., daughter of the late John and Delilah Goldbaugh.
Mrs. Clover was a homemaker and a loving wife, mother and grandmother.
She is survived by her loving husband, Thomas Clover; two sons, Thomas Clover and fiancé Dee Wielk of Philadelphia and James Clover of Wilmington; one daughter, Cathleen A. Bugieda and husband Joseph of Milton; and three grandchildren, William Wolf and wife Danielle, Brittany Wolf, and Bethann Bugieda.
All services are private. Arrangements are being handled by Parsell Funeral Enterprises Inc., Lewes.

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Beatrice M. Moore, retired shoe maker
Beatrice M. Moore, 87, of Oak Orchard, passed away peacefully Friday, Jan. 30, 2009, at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes.
Beatrice was born in Georgetown, the daughter of the late George W. and Ethel Moore Niblett.
She was a retired orthopedic shoemaker and a homemaker. She was a lifetime member of the Indian River Ladies Auxiliary.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband, Charles H. Moore in 2006; and her four brothers, Francis, George, Rayfield and Charles Niblett.
Beatrice is survived by her son, Charles H. Moore Jr. and his wife Susan L. Moore; a sister, Nancy DeGirolano; a half brother, Danny Cole; and several nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 6, at the chapel of Melson Funeral Services on Long Neck Road, where friends may call after 1:30 p.m. Burial will be in Millsboro Cemetery.

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Phillip B. Jester, tattoo shop artist
Phillip B. Jester, 25, of Blades, died Monday, Feb. 2, 2009, from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.
He was born in Wiesbaden, Hessen, Germany. He worked at the Knock Out Tattoo Shop in Salisbury, Md. He loved riding his motorcycle and drawing and was a skilled artist.
He is survived by his father, Marvin Jester and his wife Lori; his mother, Trudy Carey and her husband Ray; two sons, Seth Jester and Evan Clark; a sister, Kelly Jester; grandparents, Eleanor Graves and Everett and Margaret Millman.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 7, in the chapel of Short Funeral Services, 609 E. Market St., Georgetown, where friends may call after 11 a.m. Interment will be in Union Cemetery, Georgetown. The family suggests contributions be made to Seth Jester and Evan Clarke Benefit Account at any County Bank location.

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Doris M. Clark, Sussex native
Doris M. Clark, 79, of Georgetown, passed away Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009, at the Atlantic Shores Nursing Home in Millsboro.
She was born in Georgetown, daughter of the late Raymond and Hulda Mitchell Joseph.
She is survived by her nephew, Louis Vickers of Dagsboro; two nieces, Lois Mears of Georgetown and Janice Gerard of Millsboro; her cousin, Vera Weemstein of Georgetown; and many additional cousins.
Services will be private.
Arrangements by Melson Funeral Services of Frankford.

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Diane M. Gordon, Lewes homemaker
Diane M. Gordon, 62, of Lewes, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009, in Delaware Hospice Center, Milford.
Diane was born April 23, 1946, in Port Jefferson, N.Y., daughter of the late Charles and Florence Newber Thiede. She was a homemaker.
Diane is survived by four daughters, Michelle Gordon of Lewes, Judy Gordon of Millsboro, Pauline DeMatis of New York and Florence Dorman of Millsboro; two sisters, Carol Hololob of Florida and Jan Thiede of New York; and six grandchildren. Services and burial were private.

Payton A. Campbell, high school student
Payton A. Campbell, 18, of Ocean View, passed away suddenly Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009, at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes. Mr. Campbell was born in Lewes March 10, 1990, son of Todd and Mary Jane Thompson Campbell. Payton had attended Indian River High School. He loved to hunt, fish and ride go-carts and dirt bikes. Payton will be deeply missed by his family and friends.
In addition to his father, Payton was preceded in death by his sister, Ashley Nicole Thompson in 2006; and his maternal grandfather, Theodore Thompson.
He is survived by his mother, Mary Jane Campbell of Georgetown; a brother, Michael Gibbs Jr. of Georgetown, paternal grandparents George and Janet Campbell of Ocean View; maternal grandmother, Mary Ann Thompson of Harbeson; aunts and uncles, Shane Townsend and his wife Tracy of Ocean View, Theodore Thompson and his wife Stephanie of Georgetown, Harry Thompson and his wife Tammy of Lincoln and Wanda McGraw of Millsboro; and numerous cousins.
A funeral service will be held at noon, Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Long Neck chapel of Melson Funeral Services, 32013 Long Neck Road, where friends and family may call after 11 a.m. The Rev. Robert McCullough will officiate. Interment will be held at Dagsboro Redmen’s Memorial Cemetery in Dagsboro.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions in Payton’s name to help with funeral expenses to Benefit Account for Payton Campbell, c/o County Bank, Acct. No. 0950663206, 140 Broadkill Road, Milton, DE 19968.

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Wallace Lee Sterling, retired Cape teacher
Wallace Lee Sterling, 80, of Lewes, died Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009, at Harbor Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Lewes.
He was born Feb. 14, 1928, in Morgantown, W.Va., son of the late Charles and Amy McElwain Sterling.
Mr. Sterling graduated from Flemington High School and Davis & Elkins College, both in West Virginia. He was a corporal in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He taught mathematics for many years, retiring from the Cape Henlopen School District in Lewes. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four brothers and three sisters.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mary Ann Zbosnik Sterling; a daughter, Peggy Glenn and her husband Todd of Lewes; two sons, Gregory Sterling and his wife Jackie of Milton and Gary Sterling and his wife Brooke of Rehoboth Beach; two granddaughters, Alison Schrader and Megan Sterling, both of Rehoboth Beach; and one brother, Carmel Sterling of Ohio.
All services will be private. Arrangements are being handled by Parsell Funeral Enterprises Inc., Lewes.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Lewes Lions Club Scholarship Fund, c/o 19 Deerfield Drive, Lewes DE 19958.

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Robert M. Wallace, noted vocalist, teacher
Robert MacDonald Wallace, 53, of Philadelphia, Pa., and Milton, died Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009, peacefully, and surrounded by his family and loved ones at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, after a long, courageous struggle with leukemia.
Born in Baltimore, Md., and raised in Towson, Md., he attended Towson Senior High School where he sang in the choir and excelled at sports, notably varsity track and field, and basketball, which he loved and played the rest of his life. He also attended Western Maryland College and Peabody Conservatory. He came to Philadelphia in 1980 to attend the Academy of Vocal Arts and sang professionally for many years as a church soloist in both Baltimore and Philadelphia, as well as with many choral groups and opera companies as a featured soloist.
Rob was a highly regarded and beloved voice teacher at Settlement Music School and Muhlenberg College.
He is survived by his life partner of almost 30 years, John S. Kennedy; his brother Galen Wallace and Nancy Levy of Towson; his sister Helen Huse Ralston and Gregg Ralston of Jeffersonville, Pa.; his parents John and Pamela Wallace of Towson; and Lee and Louise Kennedy and family of Airville, Pa., and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial concert and service is planned for Sunday, March 8, at The Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce St., Philadelphia, Pa. A memorial gathering will be held in Milton at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his name to a memorial vocal scholarship at Settlement Music School, 416 Queen St., Philadelphia, PA 19147.

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Michael E. Mason, GM retiree
Michael E. “Sandman” Mason, 59, of Wilmington, died suddenly Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009, at his residence.
Born Sept. 25, 1949, in Wilmington, Mr. Mason proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. In civilian life, he was employed with General Motors at the Boxwood Road site for 30 years, until his retirement as a materials handler in 2000. Following his retirement, Mr. Mason devoted much of his time to his greatest passion, boating. His family and friends will remember him with these words: “Ahoy! Mike fishes with God now.”
A devoted father and good friend to all who knew him, he is survived by his son, Bruce M. Mason of Wilmington; his parents, Doris and Edward Mason of Bridgeville; his brother, David Mason of Millsboro; and his beloved soul mate, Sharon Swift.
A funeral service was held Thursday, Feb. 5, at Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, New Castle, with interment in Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Forgotten Cats, PMB 422, 4001 Kennett Pike, Ste. 134, Greenville, DE 19807.

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Dorothy L. Willis, West Virginia native
Dorothy L. Willis, 75, of Selbyville, and formerly of New Castle, died Friday, Jan. 30, 2009, at home.
Born in Clarksburg, W.Va., she was a daughter of the late Howard Fay and Nellie Gladie Ice Harbert. She is survived by her children, James L. Green (Bonnie) of Middletown; Joel E. Green (Kelly) of New Castle; Janet S. Frabizzio of Rehoboth Beach; Joyce A. Walker of New Castle; Judy L. Gordon of Millsboro; Jeri B. Firovanti (Matthew) of New Castle; 17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her best friend, Betty Scheblo (John) of Wilmington. She was preceded in death by her beloved son John Paul Green in 1968; and her husband Harry A. Willis in 2004.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Monday, Feb. 9, at Gracelawn Memorial Park, New Castle. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to MADD Delaware, 17 E. Market St., Georgetown, DE 19947.
Arrangements by Hastings Funeral Home, Selbyville.