Friday, March 12, 2010

~

John Michael Hite, mechanical engineer
John Michael “Mike” Hite, 58, passed away Friday, March 5, 2010, in Williamsport, Pa.

Born in Wilmington, Mike graduated from Conrad High School and attended Delaware Technical & Community College. In 1979 he moved to Phoenix, Ariz., where he worked as a mechanical engineer on fiber optic cable systems. Currently he worked for Cable Services in Williamsport as a design manager doing computerized drafting. Mike, “Flash” to his friends, had a great sense of humor and shared his father’s interest in airplanes. He loved his two cats, fiddle music, and collecting and playing his many violins.

Mike was predeceased by his father, John Hite. Surviving are his daughter, Erica Hite, and granddaughter, Kaleigh Hite, both of Lewes; his mother, Doris Hite of Wilmington; sisters, Dianne Nichols and husband Gilbert, and Barbara Fina and husband Nicholas, all of Newark; nephews, Jonathon Nichols and partner Andy Tomasell of San Diego, Calif., and Michael Nichols and wife Sarah of Wilmington; a niece, Eva Ulz and husband Ivan of New York, N.Y.; and his fiancée, Sharon Stein of Williamsport.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 13, at Peniel United Methodist Church, 115 E. Market St., Newport. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.

~

Jayne ‘Denise’ Pond, Beebe employee
Jayne “Denise” Pond, 61, of Georgetown, passed away Monday, March 8, 2010, in Lewes.

Born Nov. 10, 1948, she was the daughter of the late Agnes Ruth (Merk) Duckworth and the wife of the late Richard L. Pond. Denise was working for Beebe Medical Center as a scheduler, completing her 30th year. She enjoyed bingo, scrap booking and reading.

Surviving is a daughter, Christina Pond; a granddaughter, Iesha Kellam of Dover; sister, Bernice M. Murray and her husband Britt of Georgetown; aunt Jane Leonard and husband Leon of Warminster, Pa.; cousin Tracey Gehringer of Perkasie, Pa.; several nieces and dear friend Bebe Moore of Lewes.

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m., Thursday, March 18, at the Parsell Funeral Homes and Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, 16961 Kings Highway, Lewes. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Tunnel Cancer Center, 424 Savannah Road, Lewes, DE 19958, or S.P.C.A. , 22918 DuPont Highway, Georgetown, DE 19947.

~

Carlton M. Jarmon, retired truck driver
Carlton M. Jarmon, 78, of Selbyville, passed away Sunday, March 7, 2010, at Beebe Medical Center Lewes.

Carlton had been a lifelong truck driver with many friends in the industry. He always had a great sense of humor. Carlton always kept an immaculate car. He was born in Williamsville to the late Fred and Ida Whaley Jarmon.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Lillian Allen Jarmon of Selbyville; son Steve Edward Jarmon and wife Rosalyn of Salisbury, Md.; daughters Jeanette McMillon and husband Robert of Frankford, Michelle Harvey and husband Kenny of Tallahassee, Fla., and Brenda Lee Jarmon of Tallahassee. He is also survived by a brother, Pearlis Jarmon of Millsboro; sister Charlotte Mitchell of Wilmington; eight grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family. A sister, Reba Massey, and three brothers, Floyd, Gardner, and Lester, predeceased him.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m., Monday, March 15, at Watson Funeral Home, 211 S. Washington St. Millsboro, where friends may call one hour prior. Interment will be in St. Paul’s Cemetery, Berlin, Md. Arrangments by Watson Funeral Home.

~

Charlotte E. Burnham, word processor
Charlotte E. Burnham, 61, of Reston, Va., passed away Saturday, March 6, 2010, in Falls Church, Va.

She was born in Lewes, the daughter of the late Claude L. Sr. and Margaret Mackey Burnham. She was a word processor operator for a law firm in Washington, D.C. She was a gifted artist, loved the beach, children, family and music. She was also an organ donor.

She is survived by her brothers, Claude “Skip” Burnham Jr. and his wife Fay of Milton, and Gregory Burnham and his wife Gail of Rincon, Ga.; two aunts, Sara Burnham, and Bonnie Von Duyke; five nephews, Jeff, Michael, Noah, Matthew and Ethan Burnham; two nieces, Cindy Maccentelli and Mikaela Burnham; three great-nephews, Sean Burnham, Mitchell Burnham and Anthony Maccentelli; and one great-niece, Sienna Burnham.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Friday, March 12, in the chapel of Short Funeral Services, 416 Federal St., Milton. Interment will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Milton.
Contributions may be made to Easter Seals, 505 Elizabeth St., Waycross, GA 31501.

~

Leland C. Jennings Jr., chief historian
Leland C. Jennings Jr., 57, of Middletown, died Thursday, March 4, 2010, in Lewes.

He was born in Pennsville, N.J., the son of the late Leland G. Jennings and Gloria Scariato Jennings. He was the chief historian and director of cultural affairs for the state of Delaware. He obtained his doctorate in history. Mr. Jennings played a major role in the state refurbishment project for Fort Delaware as well as preservation and development of Fort Miles in Lewes.
He served as a member of the Fort Miles Historic Association and was a member of the 5 Points chapter O.E.S. 13 in Newport. Mr. Jennings was a member of Masonic Lodge District 59, Washington, Pa., and president of the Middletown Historical Society. He was production manager for the Philadelphia Folk Art Festival for 30 years and organized and contributed to the Howard Pyle Pirate Festival for two years. He was an avid Revolutionary War re-enactor and production manager for Blood, Sweat and Tears for 14 years, touring all over the world. He was founder and owner of Exhibit Masters, a high-end Christmas exhibit décor installation and refurbishment company.

Mr. Jennings is survived by his wife of 17 years, Linda K. Frances Jennings; two stepchildren, Dr. Kathryn Ann Berchtold and Albert Joseph Berchtold III; and three siblings, Patrick, Susan and Beth.

No funeral services will be held at this time but a celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to the Fort Miles Historical Association, c/o Dr. Gary D. Wray, 120 E. Wild Rabbit Run, Lewes, DE 19958. Arrangements by Berry-Short Funeral Home, Milford.

~

William L. Skelton, retired seaman
William L. Skelton, 73, of Lewes, passed away quietly Sunday, March 7, 2010, at Beebe Medical Center in Lewes, surrounded by his family.

He was born in New Orleans, La., Oct. 9, 1936, son of the late Alonzo Bowman and the late Helen Skelton. Mr. Skelton served in the Army as a medic during the Korean War while stationed in Japan. He always would tell the story of his being trained to ski on Mount Fuji. It was said that while he did not learn to ski, he left many butt prints on the mountain. During his civilian life, he worked for and retired from Getty Oil Company after 22 years of service as a merchant seaman. While serving, he had set foot on every continent except Australia, played an around-the-world cribbage match - and won; and had sailed around the world three times.

He is survived by the love of his life for 50 years, Judith; two sons: Harry Skelton and his wife Helen, and William L. Skelton II and wife Sonja; three grandchildren: Megan and husband Kenneth King, William Harrison Skelton, and Parker Daniel Skelton; and one great-grandchild: Jacob Elijah King.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, March 12, at the Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, 16961 Kings Highway, Lewes, where friends may call after 1 p.m. Burial with military honors will follow the services at Henlopen Memorial Park, Route 1, Milton. Flowers will be welcomed by the family.

~

John ‘Jack’ Woods, IBM retiree
John P. "Jack" Woods, 84, of Bethany Beach for the last 22 years, formerly of Rockville, Md., passed away Tuesday, March 9, 2010, at Christiana Hospital in Newark.

Born Sunday, Oct. 18, 1925, in Chicago, Ill., he was the son of the late Frank and Thelma (Holdren) Woods. Jack worked and retired as a computer scientist for IBM and Computer Sciences Corp. He served in World War II in the 8th Army Air Force, stationed in England as a ball turret gunner, flying a B17 and completing 35 missions. He then served in the Korean Conflict in the artillery division as a teacher of aerial gunnery, receiving his honorable discharge in 1956. Jack loved to tinker, repairing watches and clocks as a hobby, loved cats, caring for and rescuing them when they were abandoned, loved to take his wife to Paris and was a fantastic family man, devoted to his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Surviving is his wife of 62 years, Anita J. "Case" Woods; two sons, Steven P. Woods of Owings Mill, Md., and Mark T. Woods and his wife Pamela of Monrovia, Md.; two daughters, Pamela J. Woods Altemus and her husband Charles of N. Potomac, Md., and Melissa J. Brois and her husband James of Mt. Airy, Md.; eight grandchildren, John, Mike, Scott, Mark, Dan, Ashley, Katie and Jackie; and four great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Jack's life will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 13, at Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, 16961 Kings Highway, Lewes, with family receiving friends at 12:30 p.m. Interment will follow in Henlopen Memorial Park with full military honors.
Memorial contributions may be sent to SPCA, 22918 DuPont Blvd., Georgetown, DE 19947 or Habitat for Humanity, P.O. Box 100, Nassau, DE 19969.