Margaret Anne Croswell “Peggy” Williams
SALISBURY – Margaret Anne Croswell “Peggy” Williams, 92, of Salisbury, died Monday, Aug. 24, 2009 at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury.
Williams was born July 4, 1917 in Princess Anne, to the late Omar and Margaret (Cline) Croswell.
She was a former member of Greenhill Yacht and Country Club, a volunteer at the Salisbury Zoo and a volunteer for the Junior Board of Peninsula Regional Medical Center. She was an avid duplicate bridge player, she loved reading, going to the beach and she was a history buff. For many years, she and her husband were members of the Little Salisbury community in Ocean City. She worked for many years for the late Dr. William Bloxom and later for Dr. Dana Kennan, DDS.
She is survived by a daughter, Christie Williams Barrett of Ocean Pines; grandchildren, Karen Barrett Clayland of Ocean Pines, Charles David Barrett and his wife Lara of Oak Park, Calif., William Gilbert Barrett and his wife Jennifer of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; great-grandchildren, Kevin Daniel Clayland of Ocean Pines, Jacob Samuel, Catherine Elizabeth and Zachary Ryan Barrett, all of Oak Park, Calif.; sister, Jeanne C. Lerew of Denver, Colo.; brother, William O. Croswell and his wife Betty of Portsmouth, Va.; nieces, Caroline L. Hill of Denver, Colo.; and Candace Croswell of Baltimore; and nephews, John J. Lerew of Orlando, Fla. and Richard O. Croswell Jr. of Hockessin, Del.
Preceding her in death was her husband of 66 years, Charles Irwin Williams, and a brother, Richard O. Croswell.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, 2009 at Holloway Funeral Home with visitation one hour prior to the service. The Rev. Thomas McKelvey will officiate. Interment will be in Parsons Cemetery in Salisbury.
Memorial contributions can be made to Salisbury Zoolgical Park,755 South Park Dr., Salisbury Md. 21804 or Wicomico County Library, 122 S. Division St., Salisbury, Md. 21801.
Arrangements are in the care of Holloway Funeral Home, 501 Snow Hill Rd. Salisbury, Md. 21804. To send condolences to the family, visit www.hollowayfh.com.
Robert Louis Martin
BERLIN – Robert Louis Martin, 82, died Monday, Aug. 24, 2009 at the Berlin Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Born in Chincoteague, Va., he was the son of the late John P. Martin and Mamie Peterson Martin.
Martin had been a Merchant Marine, commercial fisherman and boat captain. He had been an avid hunter and loved to sing country music.
He is survived by his daughters, Darcel M. Morris and her husband Phillip of Salisbury and Kimberly M. Robertazzi and her husband Joe of Berlin, and a son, Robert "Bobby" Martin and his wife Annamay of Long Island, N.Y. Also surviving is the mother of his children and his former wife of many years, Shirley Martin of Berlin. There are six grandchildren, Bethany Martin Ingram, Kerri Martin Thom, Kristi Lynn Morris, Julie Morris Hirsch, Maddy Lou Martin and A.J. Robertazzi; four great grandchildren, Merina Ingram, Lily Thom, Phoebe Thom and Olivia Hirsch. Martin is also survived by his brother Johnny Martin of West Ocean City, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister, Helena Lutz.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin. Friends may call one hour prior to the service. Interment will be private at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, PO Box 4527, New York, N.Y. 10163.
Justeavus Leonard
BERLIN – Justeavus Leonard, 95, of Berlin, died Friday, Aug. 21, 2009, at Berlin Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
Born in Berlin, she was the daughter of the late Henry Davis and Hennie Warren Davis. Her husband, James Leonard, also preceded her in death.
She was a member of New Bethel United Methodist Church in Berlin. She worked for the Phillips family in Berlin.
Cherished memories will remain with three nephews, Oscar Lee Davis and Gerald Davis, both of Berlin, and Billy (Anna) Conn Davis of Snow Hill; and other relatives and friends.
Services were held. Interment was in New Bethel United Methodist Church Cemetery in Berlin. Visit www.lewisnwatsonfuneralhome.com to offer condolences to the family.
Eleanor Dougherty Connolly
SEAFORD, Del. – Eleanor Dougherty Connolly, 83, died with dignity and grace Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, at her home of 50 years at Hearns Pond in Seaford.
She was born March 10, 1926, in Wilmington as the daughter of the late Anthony and Margaret Dougherty.
She graduated from Wilmington High School and went to work for E.I du Pont Co. in Wilmington. In 1949, she married the late Harry J. Connolly, who died in 1983. The focus of their life was raising their three children. She is best described by her children as "giving all and expecting nothing in return, a selfless unconditional love."
She is survived by a son, Tom Connolly and his wife, Karen, of Ocean City, and two daughters, Ria Durig and her husband, Dutch, and Meg Mulrine and her husband Mike, all of Seaford.
She is also survived by five grand children, Katie Connolly, Megan Connolly, Maggie Durig, Harry Mulrine, and Maria Mulrine; and a brother, Charles O. Dougherty and his wife, Roseanne, of Riverview, Fla.
Services were held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church on Stein Highway in Seaford. Burial was in Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Seaford Volunteer Fire Department, PO Box 87, Seaford, Del. 19973; or Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Po Box 719, Seaford, Del. 19973.
Mary Emily Humphreys, Ph.D.
BERLIN – Berlin lost a leading citizen and activist when Mary Humphreys died at the age of 97.
Active in many community activities, she lived independently until June in the Baker Street home where she was born in 1912. She passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009 at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury after a brief illness.
After graduating from Buckingham High School, Humphreys earned a BS at Western Maryland College. In a time when few women chose science careers, she continued graduate studies in Biology, earning Masters and Doctoral degrees at Duke University. She won grants from the National Science Foundation for post-doctoral studies and research.
As Professor of Biology at Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Va., Humphreys taught biology and genetics from 1943 to 1968. Her Field Botany course, a particular favorite of her former students, reflected her lifelong interest in observing plants and birds in their natural outdoor setting. In 1992, on the occasion of her 80th birthday, former students and friends established the Mary Emily Humphreys Lecture Series in Biology at the college in her honor. A gifted teacher and mentor, she has continued to enjoy frequent visits and correspondence from many former students.
During World War II, Humphreys led the ‘Victory Corps’, a student group at Mary Baldwin College to coordinate blood donations, war bond sales and visits to soldier-patients at nearby hospitals. Honored by the college with
its Leadership and Citizenship Award, she advised college groups like the YWCA, competed vigorously in student-faculty volleyball, and is still remembered for her impeccable proofreading of campus publications. In 1964 the college selected her for its first year-long exchange professorship at Isabella Thoburn College in Lucknow, India.
Choosing early retirement in l968, Humphreys returned to the family home in Berlin and redirected her energy to numerous cultural activities. She continued her field work with the Nature Conservancy for Nassawango Creek and the Maryland Ornithological Society. An avid bird-watcher, she spent many hours enjoying this activity and has contributed to the national magazine American Birds. She regularly participated in the annual lower shore bird counts. She spotted some species not known to exist on the lower shore.
She served as a deacon at Buckingham Presbyterian Church. She was a founding member and has been active in the Berlin Heritage Foundation, administrators of the Calvin B. Taylor Museum. A skilled and eagle-eyed proofreader (really a paper-grader), she donated her proofreading skills to the publications of many local nonprofit groups. In 1990, she was presented with the Berlin Award, given for community service. In 1998 Dr. Humphreys established a community foundation known as the Humphreys Foundation which for the last 10 years has made grants to deserving local charities.
Humphreys was the only child of Maud Bounds Humphreys (1883-1960) and John Winder Humphreys (1870-1944) who for many years was manager of the J. D. Adkins Lumber Co. in Berlin. She is survived by cousins Patricia Bounds Corcoran of Towson, Kathy Bounds Holecheck and Eddie Bounds of Hurlock, Roger Bounds of Hermiston, Ore., Mary Emily Bounds Holt of Naples, Fla. and Dorothy McAllen White of New Church, Va.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 11 a.m. at Buckingham Presbyterian Church, 20 S. Main St., Berlin, Md. Rev. Dr. Kay Myers will officiate. Interment will follow in Buckingham Presbyterian Cemetery. Arrangements are being handled by the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Humphreys Foundation, c/o William Mitchell, Calvin B. Taylor Bank, 17 North Main Street, Berlin, Md. 21811.
Viola M. Phillips
BISHOPVILLE – Viola M. Phillips, 96 of Bishopville died Monday, Aug. 24, 2009, at Atria Assisted Living in Salisbury.
She was born in Showell, the daughter of the late William J. and Laura Hayman Jones.
She was a homemaker and member of Showell United Methodist Church, the Showell Volunteer Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary and the Worcester County Farm Bureau.
She is survived by a sister, Beatrice Ennis of Dagsboro, and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Louder B. Phillips, in 1993.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Hastings Funeral Home in Selbyville, with the Rev. Linda Mariner officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Berlin. Friends may call one hour prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Showell Volunteer Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary, PO Box 55, Showell, Md. 21862.
Condolences may be sent by visiting www.hastings funeralhome.net.