Josephine Hearne of Rehoboth celebrates 95th birthday
Josephine Hearne of Rehoboth Beach recently celebrated her 95th birthday at Sazio's in Rehoboth with her family.
Josephine Jane (Weer) Hearne was born Nov. 3, 1924, in Wilmington of parents Edward Clyde Weer and Emily K. (Davis) Weer of New Castle, a family chicken farmer and general builder and contractor with Weer Construction Company.
Jo began her schooling in a New Castle one-room schoolhouse, and graduated from William Penn High School in 1942. She worked for the Veterans Hospital in New Castle until her April 5, 1947 marriage to Rodney Lee Hearne, a USAF sergeant who served 38 months during WWII flying B-29 Superfortress bombers over Japan from the island of Tinian.
Together, Josephine and Rodney raised six children, four boys and two girls, who gave them 39 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
Josephine joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and saw that her children were brought up in the faith of Jesus Christ, She is an avid churchgoer, active in both church and community, and all of her children's schools and activities. She demonstrated and sold toys for the C&B Toy Co. in the homes of thousands of Delaware residents for 12 years, started a candy-making business out of her home, involving her whole family in the making of hand-dipped, soft-center chocolates that were sold all over the Tri-State area for nearly 20 years, and managed the Carousel Gift Shop in Wilmington for over eight years until it was sold.
She was instrumental in the building of her third home in Rehoboth Beach in 1998 where she still resides. After nearly 60 years of marriage and the passing of her husband, Jo continues to take care of herself with the help of her youngest daughter Cindy, and son Gary, who live nearby, and her daughter Sharon, son Thomas, and son Jeff, who all live in the Newark area, and son Douglas, who lives in Huntsville, Ala., but continues to attend her church in Seaford.
Jo is looking forward to being a Delaware Centenarian. Congratulations Josephine on your achievement of 95 wonderful productive and active years.
Although Delaware Governor John Carney was not able to attend Jo’s Surprise Party, he presented her with a Delaware Tribute Letter, briefly thanking Josephine for her undying service and commitment to God, State, and her Country, which was presented to Jo on her Birthday when Bishop Steffan Williams recognized her in Sacrament Meeting in the Seaford Ward Building.
