William Neal Moerschel, proud Navy veteran
William Neal Moerschel (Neal), 91, passed away peacefully in his sleep Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, at his home in Rehoboth Beach. Neal was born to William George Moerschel and Emma Catherine Strasbaugh née Hevern on Christmas Eve, 1930. His father passed away in early 1931 leaving his mother the unenviable task of raising a small boy during the Great Depression and throughout WW II. Always striving for success, Neal held down many part-time jobs and became an Eagle Scout at age 16. Neal earned his bachelor’s degree in 1952 from Maryland State Teacher’s College, now known as Towson University.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in late 1952 and was commissioned as an ensign in May 1953. His assignment was to air intelligence with Patrol Squadron 24 at Chincoteague, Va., flying in P2V aircraft with subsequent deployments to Newfoundland and Malta in the Mediterranean Sea. LTJG Moerschel was a proud Navy man his entire life, and his time in the service of his country provided a solid basis for his steady, consistent and gentlemanly character.
The day after receiving his Navy commission, Neal married Thelma Iras Wright at Christ Lutheran Church in Baltimore, Md. They were married for 47 years and raised three children, Susan, Leslie, and Grant.
After leaving the Navy in 1956, Neal went back to school and in 1959 earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial management from Johns Hopkins University. During his early career, he was a computer system analyst when that was a newly invented term. He worked at the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Honeywell, General Foods and Speakman Company at a time when computers filled entire buildings and used punch cards for their memory.
Neal was elected to the Delaware House of Representatives in 1968, where he proudly served in the 125th and 126th Delaware General Assemblies as the Republican representative for the southern Dover, Camden, and Wyoming districts. Neal credits his wife Thelma as a driving force behind his election. Neal’s family still talks about his campaign slogan, “Hop on the Neal Mobile,” which Thelma hand painted in neon green all over his black VW Beetle. They knew how to get out the vote. Rep. Moerschel often spoke of the camaraderie and cross-aisle problem-solving he experienced during his time in the Legislature.
In 1972, he moved his family to the Annapolis, Md. area upon accepting a new position as chief of staff for Delaware United States Sen. William Roth. Next, he employed his analytical skills in a 15-year stint as director of electric power data systems for the U.S. Department of Energy. Never one to rest, Neal attended the University of Virginia at night taking accounting classes and passed his CPA in one try in 1984. He was the firm administrator for Cox Nichols Holliday CPAs until his retirement. During the latter part of his career, he and Thelma lived in Shepherdstown, West Va., from 1976-99. They then returned to Dover for his retirement.
After Thelma’s passing in 2000, Neal met Elizabeth Emerson Townsend (Libby), a lifelong Kent County resident. Libby too had lost her husband, Fred, in 2000. Upon meeting, they hit it off wonderfully and were married in February 2003 at Christ Episcopal Church in Dover. Neal and Libby were best friends who also never forgot to mutually acknowledge their first loves and the importance of bringing their families together as one unit. This is not lost on their children and grandchildren.
Over the years, Neal employed his skills as a problem solver, public speaker and leader. He was a member of Kent County Republicans, and he served multiple terms as a vestry member for Trinity Episcopal Church, Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Christ Episcopal Church, Dover. Neal knew that much could be learned from history and as such traveled extensively, and was an avid reader of books about past U.S. presidents, British prime ministers, and Paul the Apostle.
He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Elizabeth; his children Susan Moerschel, Leslie Tucker and Grant Moerschel, and their spouses; Elizabeth’s children, Fred Townsend and Stuart Townsend, and their spouses; his eight grandchildren, Tyler Laporte, Melissa Reed, Katie Painter, Will Moerschel, Hannah Moerschel, Rick Townsend, Sara Townsend, and Jack Townsend; his three great-grandchildren Abigail Reed, Bryce Painter and Cole Painter.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 22, at Christ Episcopal Church, 523 S. State St, Dover (State & Water streets near The Green). Interment will be in the church cemetery with military honors. For those who cannot attend in person, the service will be available for viewing live via Facebook under Church of Christ Dover, facebook.com/christchurchdoverde, or on YouTube, youtube.com/channel/UCLN0pVFWH5ofGr5aXlRTGPA?reload=9.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Christ Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1374, Dover, DE 19903, christchurchdover.org.
To offer condolences, visit.pippinfuneralhome.com/listings.
