03/17/09

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Joan D. Forbes, Lewes resident
Joan D. Forbes, 69, of Lewes, passed away Wednesday, March 11, 2009, in the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford.
Joan was born in Swift Water, Pa., daughter of the late John D. and Helen Entwistle.
She was owner/operator of Seaport Taxi from 1983 to 2001. Joan also ran the Jolly Trolley.
She was a graduate of Millsboro High School class of 1957.
She is survived by her husband of 15 years, Daniel F. Forbes; a son, Kim Walls; and a daughter, Dawn.
Private services will be held in the family home.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the family to assist with expenses.
Arrangements handled by Short Funeral Services, Milton.

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Daniel J. Gill Jr., retired bricklayer
Daniel J. Gill Jr., 75, of Selbyville, formerly of Deptford, N.J., passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family Saturday, March 14, 2009, at his home.
Mr. Gill was born in Philadelphia, Pa., son of the late Daniel J. Sr. and Phoebe Heron Gill. Daniel was a veteran, faithfully serving his country in the U.S. Army. He was employed as a bricklayer with the Contarino Brothers in Woodbury Heights, N.J., before retiring after 45 years of service in 1996.
Mr. Gill was a member of the Collingswood Cloud Masonic Lodge 101 in New Jersey and attended St. Matthews By-The-Sea United Methodist Church in Fenwick Island.
Daniel was a strong, proud and stoic man who always helped others. He was also a skilled craftsman who enjoyed fishing.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife of 55 years, Dorothy A. Gill, who passed away Feb. 12, 2009.
Daniel is survived by his three children, Dorothy L. Darley of Lewes, Daniel J. Gill III and his wife Regina of Deptford, N.J., and Daune Mumford and her husband John of Selbyville; six grandchildren, Giuseppe Belfiore and his companion Billie Jo, Daniel Gill IV, Jonathan Hager, Drew Gill, Michael Stone and Jacob Darley; two great-grandchildren, Tyler and Nevaeh Belfiore; a brother, Leonard Gill; and four sisters, Florence Gill, Betty Malloy, Thelma Giordano and Dorothy Gill.
A funeral service will be held at 12:30 p.m., Friday, March 20, at the Frankford Chapel of Melson Funeral Services, 43 Thatcher St., Frankford, where friends and family may call after 11:30 a.m. Burial with military honors will follow at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Millsboro.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions in Daniel’s memory to St. Matthews By-The-Sea United Methodist Church, 1000 Coastal Highway, Fenwick Island, DE 19944.

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Elaine M. Townsend, Seaford resident
Elaine M. Townsend, 79, of Seaford, died Thursday, March 12, 2009.
Mrs. Townsend worked for Nanticoke Cleaners for over 20 years before retiring.
Her husband, Clarence S. Townsend, died in 1975; a son, James W. Downes Jr., also preceded her in death. Elaine is survived by a son, Michael Townsend and his wife Debra of Laurel; a daughter, Carol Clifton and her husband Bob of Milton; five grandchildren, Ross Downes, Jeremiah Downes, Katelin Townsend, Zachary Townsend and Jimmy White; one great-grandson, Bryan Downes; and three sisters, Alice Davidson of Dagsboro, Evelyn Davis of Parksley, Va., and Eva Tindall of Seaford.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m., Tuesday, March 17, at the Cranston Funeral Home, 300 Shipley St., Seaford. Burial will be at Odd Fellows Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the Library for the Blind, 43 S. Dupont Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

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Charles J. Balback Sr., self-taught artist
In the late evening of Tuesday, March 10, 2009, Charles J. “Chuck” Balback Sr., 66, passed away after a courageous battle with brain cancer surrounded by his family.
Charles was a graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School and Goldey-Beacom College and proudly served his country being honorably discharged as a sergeant E-5 from the U.S. Army. Chuck, as he was affectionately known to his friends, worked in administration for the Department of Correction, retiring after 35 years. He then worked for Delaware Park for six years as a supervisor in security. Chuck was an artistic man, whether he was working in his garden, doing crafts or flower arranging, but his greatest passion was painting.
He was a self-taught artist who painted on everything from canvas, driftwood, concrete and glass to seashells. But Chuck’s great accomplishment in life was his three children and his six precious grandchildren whom he loved dearly.
Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, George and Anna Balback; his brother, George Balback Jr.; and his friend for over 30 years, Larry McGuigan. Charles is survived by his wife of over 39 years, Nancy Anderson Balback; his son, Charles Jr., (Allison); his daughters, Holly and Amy Balback; his grandchildren, Erika Wilson, Charles Balback III, Hunter Balback, Ariana Hartnett, Delaney Schneider and Paris Hartnett; his brother, Joseph (Joan) Balback of Millsboro; his aunt, Joan (Stanley) Krok of Claymont; mother-in-law, Ruth DiVincenzo of Millsboro; brothers- and sisters-in-law; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He is also survived by Patricia Booz, Lydia Maguire, Susanna Reinbold and Francis Balback.
The family would like to thank the staff of Delaware Hospice, especially Aissia, Kim and Kathy and VNA’s staff, especially Betty, Meg, Paulette and Michelle. A special thanks to the Rev. Dr. Gregory Johnson and Jeanette McGuigan. We could not have made it without you.
Family and friends are invited to funeral services at noon, Wednesday, March 18, at Zion Lutheran Church, Bancroft Parkway and Lancaster Avenue, Wilmington.
Calling hours are 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday at the church. Interment will be in Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Bear. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Zion Lutheran Church.

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Charles ‘Buzzy’ Brower, lodge member
Charles “Buzzy” Brower, 71, of Lewes and North Fort Myers, Fla., formerly of Wilmington, passed away Tuesday, March 10, 2009, at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, after winning his battle against throat cancer, with his “angel” (wife) by his side every step of the way.
Mr. Brower was retired from I.B.E.W. Local 313 of Wilmington. He was also a lifelong member of the Armstrong Lodge 26 AF&AM. Buzzy enjoyed the outdoors and woodworking and loved Frank Sinatra and Jeff Gordon.
He is survived by his wife Nancy of 53 years; daughter, Susan Vignola; sons, David and Jeffrey Brower; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Services and burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations in Buzzy’s memory to Tunnell Cancer Center of Beebe, 18941 John J. Williams Highway, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.
Arrangements by Melson Funeral Services of Long Neck.

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Thomas P. Lynch, retired sales manager
Thomas P. Lynch, 98, of Rehoboth Beach and formerly of Seaford, died Thursday, March 5, 2009, at Delaware Hospice Center, Milford.
Born in Roxana, he was the son of the late Elbert W. and Olivia Parsons Lynch.
A three-letter star athlete, Tom graduated from Selbyville High School in 1928 and attended Beacom College on a full athletic scholarship, including football, basketball and baseball. In 1936 he opened the first dry cleaning business in Seaford, Certified Cleaners.
A World War II veteran, he served in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1945 in the African and European theatres as an anti-aircraft radar operator and instructor and as a military policeman, earning four Battle Stars as well as service and good conduct medals. From 1946 to 1957 Tom was a salesman for the former Whitmoyer Laboratories in Millsboro. In 1957, he joined the Peninsula Oil Company in Seaford and retired as the sales manager in 1975. In addition to being an avid golfer, playing into his mid-80s, and having a lifelong interest in automobiles, Tom also enjoyed dancing, bridge, and stamp and coin collecting.
His wife of 60 years, Jane K. Lynch, preceded him in death in 2008.
He is survived by three children, Patricia L. Haas and her husband Theodore of Lewes, Sandra L. Hayden and her husband Joseph of Elkton, Md., and Dr. T. Gregory Lynch and his wife Patricia of Bear. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Kristen Perez, Gretchen Wyshock, Benjamin Hayden and Colleen, Lauren and Thomas Lynch; and two great-grandchildren, Kathryn and Tanner Wyshock.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 21, at Hastings Funeral Home, Selbyville, where friends may call at 10 a.m. Interment will be private in Bishopville Cemetery, Bishopville, Md.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to St. John’s United Methodist Church, 300 N. Pine St., Seaford DE 19973; or Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriots Way, Milford DE 19963.

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Roberta B. Holt, Rehoboth resident
Roberta Baxter Holt of Rehoboth Beach and Chevy Chase, Md., passed away Sunday, March 15, 2009, at Talbot Hospice in Easton, Md.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, March 20, at St. Mark's United Methodist Church, 100 Peach Blossom Lane, Easton.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to her memory to The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family, 4400 MacArthur Blvd., N.W. 103, Washington, D.C. 20007 or The Rehoboth Yoga Studio, 20245 Bay Vista Road Suite 101, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Williamson Funeral Home, Federalsburg, Md. A complete obituary will appear in the next edition of the Cape Gazette.

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Barbara Ann Brown, retired nurse
Barbara Ann Brown, of Frankford, passed away Tuesday, March 3, 2009, in the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford.
Barbara was a retired registered nurse and also had worked for Wheaton Glass Company.
Barbara was always in good spirits and loved her family and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Clifton Sr. and Margaret Burton Matthews; one daughter, Faith C. Matthews, who passed in 2005, two brothers, James L. Matthews and Clifton Matthews Jr.; and one sister, Ada E. Matthews.
She is survived by her sons, Larry Matthews and wife Diane of Bridgeton N.J., and Barry Matthews of Frankford; two brothers, Earl Manuel Matthews and wife Loretta of Candon, N.J.; three sisters, Elizabeth Turner and husband Raymond Sr. of Millsboro, Margaret T. Matthews of Salisbury, Md., and Valorie Parsons and husband Charles O. of Fruitland, Md.; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild; her companion of 19 years, Aurthur Fosque; and numerous nieces, nephews, friends and extended church family.
Services will be held at noon, Friday, March 20, at St. Johns 2nd Baptist Church in Mount Joy near Millsboro, where friends may call one hour prior.
Interment will be in Zoar Golden Acres, Bishopville, Md. Pastor Annie Jane Custis will officiate.