Kent County, Delaware - Obits: from The Dover Post ************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. USGenWeb Archives. Copyright. All rights reserved http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Melinda Jarvis Devereaux ************************************************************************** * Ralph Austin Bryant, 86 HARTLY - Ralph Austin Bryant of near Hartly died of complications of Parkinson's disease Friday, April 11, 2003, in his home. He was 86. Mr. Bryant was born Dec. 20, 1916, in North Carolina, son of the late Joseph Daniel and Armitta Snow Bryant. He was a farmer all his life and was a John Deere mechanic for many years. Mr. Bryant enjoyed hunting, gardening and reading. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Minnie Ross; and four brothers, Howard, Alva, Clarence and Dan. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Margaret Caldwell Bryant; three sons and two daughters-in-law, Ralph Bryant Jr. and Maryann Bryant of Woodside and Joseph and Betty Bryant and Ray Bryant, all of Hartly; two daughters and a son-in-law, Pat Renfrow of Hartly and Fay and Rick Hamm of Harrington; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Trader Funeral Home, 12 Lotus St., Dover. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. The Rev. Milton Kemp will officiate. Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Camden. Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Delaware Hospice, 911 Lotus St., Do-ver, DE 19901. Letters of condolence may be sent to traderfh@aol.com. --------------------------------------------------------------- * W. Frederick Coursey, 87 DENTON - W. Frederick Coursey of Denton died Friday, April 11, 2003, at Homestead Manor on the campus of Wesleyan Retirement Center, Denton. He was 87. Mr. Coursey was born Sept. 27, 1915, in Ingleside, son of the late William A. and Bertha D. Cronshaw Coursey. He was a 1932 graduate of Church Hill High School. Between graduation and World War II, Mr. Coursey worked with Emit Moore, painting contractor, and, later, with Church Hill Lumber Co. On Nov. 9, 1940, he married Virginia Stewart, then of Church Hill; she preceded him in death June 17, 1997. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the South Pacific Theater, and was honorably dis-charged in 1946. Mr. Coursey then returned to Church Hill, where he worked as a postal deliveryman for the Church Hill Post Office and served in this capacity as a federal employee for 36 years. He had resided on the campus of the Wesleyan Retirement Center since 1992. He enjoyed singing with barbershop quartets and traveling. Mr. Coursey was a member of the Church Hill United Methodist Church, where he served as treasurer for 12 years. He was past president (1960-61) of the Kent and Queen Anne's Volunteer Fire and Rescue Asso-ciation. He was a life member of the Church Hill Volunteer Fire Department, where he served as chief for more than 17 years. He also was a life member of the Kent and Queen Anne's American Legion Post 192, Millington, and a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 652, Millington. He was a past member of Bay Country Moose Lodge, Grasonville, and a member of the Forty and Eight. He also was a member of the National Rural Letter Carriers Association. He is survived by close friends and family. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Church Hill United Methodist Church, where relatives and friends may call one hour earlier. Burial will be in Woodlawn Memorial Park, near Easton. The family suggests memorial contributions to Church Hill United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 6, Church Hill, MD 21623. Arrangements by Fellows, Helfenbein, and Newnam Funeral Home, Chestertown. --------------------------------------------------------------- * Gertrude Moon Deberry, 100 DOVER - Gertrude Moon DeBerry of Dover and formerly of Terra Alta, W.Va., died peacefully Thursday, April 10, 2003, at Capitol Health Care Services, Dover. She had celebrated her 100th birthday March 25 with a party in the center. She was pleased and honored by proclamations from the mayor of Dover and the governor of Delaware on the occasion. Mrs. DeBerry was born in 1903 in a house on the Maryland-West Virginia line, daughter of the late Parley West and Ethel Francis Groves. She was able to claim Lake Ford in Maryland and Cranesville in West Vir-ginia as her birthplaces. Her first husband was Bernard Rafferty, with whom she had one child, Ethel Marie, who preceded her in death. She married James Moon in 1927, and they lived in Terra Alta until his death in 1971. She married Dewey DeBerry in 1973; he also preceded her in death. Mrs. DeBerry enjoyed a career as a nurse for a number of years at Hopemont State Hospital, Terra Alta. She also worked as a nurse in Baltimore. She moved to Dover in 1979 to be closer to her great-grandchildren. She was one of the first residents of Luther Towers and lived there for 17 years before moving to Capitol Health Care. She was an avid reader, had a longtime interest in history and traveled throughout her life. Mrs. DeBerry was a member of Terra Alta Methodist Church. In addition to her parents, husbands and daughter, she was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Russell Gross; and a sister, Josephine Montgomery. She is survived by a granddaughter and grandson-in-law, Beverly and Gary Laing of Wyoming; three great-grandchildren, of whom she was very proud, and the wife of one, Craig and Anne-Marie Laing and Kent Laing, all of Newark, and Kelly Laing of Bear; a sister, Pauline Smith of Florida; and a number of nieces and nephews. Celebration of her life will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Torbert Funeral Chapel, Bradford Street, Dover. The Rev. W. LeRoy Jones will officiate. Burial will be in Terra Alta Cemetery. Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Wesley Branches at Wesley United Methodist Church, Dover. --------------------------------------------------------------- * Capt. Daniel A. Dize, 94 SMITH ISLAND, Md. - Capt. Daniel A. Dize of Smith Island died of a myocardial infarction Friday, April 11, 2003, at McCready Memorial Hospital, Crisfield. He was 94. Capt. Dize was born Aug. 19, 1908, on Smith Island, son of the late Theodore Wesley and Margaret Tyler Dize. After attending public school, he began a lifelong career as a commercial waterman and U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain. In 1930, he married the former Thelma Louise Kitching, and they made their home on Tilghman Island. She died Sept. 13, 1979. During his working years, he was captain of and owned the cargo freighters Henrietta Frances and Mary-lander, as well as five skipjacks, until his retirement in 1980. Following his marriage to his second wife, the former Madeline Bradshaw, he moved back to Smith Island in 1989. He was a member of Granite Lodge 177 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, St. Michaels. In addition to his parents and first wife, he was preceded in death by a son, Capt. "Gibby" Dize, on July 1, 1998. In addition to his second wife, he is survived by a son, H. Russell Dize of Tilghman Island; three daugh-ters, Deenie Tyler Faulkner of Tilghman Island, Elestine Cooper of Camden, Del., and Judy D. Tubman of St. Michaels; 16 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and several great-great-grandchildren. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Tilghman United Methodist Church, where a service con-ducted by Granite Lodge will be at 7:45. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the church, where friends also may call one hour earlier. Burial will be in Tilghman Memorial Cemetery. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Crisfield-Smith Island Cultural Alliance Inc., P.O. Box 761, Crisfield, MD 21817. Arrangements by Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home PA, Easton. --------------------------------------------------------------- * George T. Hedley, 72 WILMINGTON - George T. Hedley of Wilmington and Lewes died Thursday, April 10, 2003, in Christi-ana Care with his family at his side. He was 72. Mr. Hedley served in the U.S. Army as a medical technician. He was a retired barber, and had owned and operated Hedley's Barber Shop, Rehoboth Beach. Mr. Hedley loved his family, and enjoyed walking, boating and horseback riding. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Margaret Cordrey. He is survived by two sons, Gregory Hedley and Douglas Hedley; a daughter-in-law, Allison; a daughter, Delores Pierce; two granddaughters, Meredith Pierce and Talia Brooke Hedley; a sister, Mary Ellen Petrucci; and nieces and nephews. Services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Long Neck chapel of Melson Funeral Services, where friends may call one hour earlier. Burial will be in Conley's Cemetery. Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to St. Patrick's Center, Attn.: William Kooser, 107 E. 14th St., Wilmington, DE 19801. --------------------------------------------------------------- * Sara L. Parker, 85 LEWES - Sara L. Parker of Lewes and formerly of Millsboro, died of Alzheimer's disease Friday, April 11, 2003, at the Lewes Convalescent Center. She was 85. She was the daughter of the late Al and Sallie Gray Long, who had lived in Frankford. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Oliver "Burr" Parker, in 1993; and a sister, Ratie Upton. She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Preston L. and Amy Parker of Slaughter Beach; two sisters and two brothers-in-law, Hilda and Jimmy Littleton of Frankford and Grace and Layton McCabe of Mills-boro; and two grandchildren. Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Watson Funeral Home, 211 Washington St., Millsboro. The Rev. Parris Sexton will officiate. Instead of flowers, the family suggests that, in Sara's memory, one takes extra time for a friend or loved one in need. --------------------------------------------------------------- * M. Eloise H. Smith, 70 DENTON, Md. - M. Eloise H. Smith of Denton died of natural causes Friday, April 11, 2003, at The Memorial Hospital at Easton. She was 70. Mrs. Smith was born in Greensboro, daughter of the late Lewis "Ted" Henry and Mary Elizabeth Harris Henry. She worked in the kitchen at Caroline Nursing Home, Denton, and retired in 1988 from Fisherman's Inn, Kent Island, where she worked in the kitchen. She was preceded in death by a son, Christopher Lee Smith, on April 16, 2000. She is survived by her husband, Ralph R. Smith Jr. of Denton; a daughter, Connie S. Pippin of Denton; a son, Ted Raymond Smith of Concord; a sister, Virginia Lee Wiles of Hilton Head, S.C.; an aunt, Thelma Harris Walls of Easton; and three grandchildren. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Moore Funeral Home PA, 12 S. Second St., Denton, where friends may call one hour earlier. Burial will be in Denton Cemetery. ---------------------------------------------------------------