We Remember Those We Have Lost

Joseph F. DiRenza

BERLIN – Joseph F. DiRenza, 65, of Ocean City and formerly of Newark, Del. died Saturday, Jan. 1, 2011 at Coastal Hospice At The Lake in Salisbury.

He was born in Philadelphia and was the son of the late Joseph R. and Alice (Pharazyn) DiRenza.

He was a purchasing agent for P.N.C. and was a member of St. Luke Catholic Church in Ocean City. He served in the Army during the war in Vietnam and was awarded the Purple Heart.  

He is survived by his wife, Katherine M. DiRenza of Ocean City; a daughter, Danielle DiRenza Johnson of Nescopeck, Pa.; and two grandchildren, Tristen and Genevieve Johnson.

Services were held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Coastal Hospice at the Lake, P.O. Box 1733, Salisbury, Md. 21802.

Arrangements by Hastings Funeral Home.

Kevin King

PITTSVILLE – Kevin King, 52, died at his home on Jan. 1, 2011, surrounded by loved ones, after fighting a series of illnesses for over a decade.

He was born on Feb. 11, 1958 in Baltimore and is the son of the late Stephen J. King and Mary M. King.

King was the 10th of 13 children. He graduated from Cardinal Gibbons High School in 1977 and went on to study at Salisbury University.

In 1990, he and two siblings founded The King’s Pub and Family restaurant in Berlin. Dividing the management, King was responsible for the kitchen and it was there that he created the now legendary Broccoli Balls.

The King’s Pub played an important roll in his life because it was there that he met his true love, Jane Siefken Thompson. He was a father and husband first. Through his actions, he taught his children what it meant to treat someone with love and respect.  

Along with his wife and mother, he is survived by his son, Scott King and fiancé, Lisa Scodari; his daughter, Kaitlyn King; his step-son, Billy Thompson and wife Tracey; his step-daughter, Leslie Thompson Baker; grandchildren Colby and Aubrie Baker, Brittany, Billy and Beverley Thompson; sisters Stephanie Chicca and late husband, Paul, Andrea Beard and husband, Bunk, Denise King, Melanie Rhodes and husband, Allen, Janine Barnard and late husband, Dennis, Midge King, Kelly Stiegman and husband Keith; brothers Stephen King and wife, Judy, Mark King, Chris King and wife, Lynda, Tim King and wife, Laurie, Daniel King and wife, Kim; sisters-in-law, Barbara Bowden, Saundra Wood and Judy Post; brother-in-law, Bill Siefken; and numerous nieces, nephews friends.

Services were held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Berlin Fire Department, 214 N. Main St. Berlin, Md. 21811 Pittsville Fire Department, P.O. Box 32185087, Pittsville, Md. or Coastal Hospice.

Arrangements are in the care of the Burbage Funeral Home.
Stella Kubus

BERLIN – Stella Kubus, 92, passed away on Dec. 27, 2010 at Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin.

Her husband, Stephen Kubus, preceded her in death. Surviving are her daughters, Diane Adkins of Centreville, Va., and Dolores Monahan and her husband, Thomas, of Berlin. She also leaves a sister, Frances, in Poland. She was adored grandmother of Alison and Stephen.

Kubus was a wonderful cook, and loved to have her family around her.

Services were held. In lieu of flowers, a donation in her memory may be made to St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, Tenn.

Michael J. Pilipie
BERLIN – Michael Jerome Pilipie, age 56, died on Dec. 25, 2010 at his home in Berlin.

Born in Morristown, N.J., he was the son of the Harry Pilipie and Florence Elise Mircowiecz Pilipie. He is survived by his step-father, Horst Berger, and a daughter, Jena Maria Hreha and her husband Brad of Atco, N.J. He leaves a brother, Stanley Pilipie and his wife Colleen of Parsippany, N.J.; a step-brother, Mark Berger and his wife Kristy of Lincoln Park, N.J.; and a step-sister, Patricia Witel and her husband Tom, of Montville, N.J. He was the grandfather of Madison and Brielle Hreha.

Pilipie attended Glassboro College in Glassboro, N.J., and later worked as a manager for Color Tile in Verona, NJ. He moved to Berlin in 2001.

A memorial service will be held on Jan. 15 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Chapel in Whippany, N.J. Donations in his memory may be made to Alcoholics Anonymous c/o A.A. World Services, Inc, P.O. Box 459, New York, N.Y. 10103.

Arrangements are in the care of the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin.

Peter Kevin Donovan
BERLIN – Peter Kevin Donovan, age 59, died Monday, Jan. 3, 2011 at his home in Ocean City.

Born in Bethesda, he was the son of the late Merritt Peter Donovan and Jacquelyn Webster Donovan. He is survived by his sons, Christopher Ryan Donovan and Patrick Kevin Donovan both of Arnold and Ocean City; his sisters, Pam Stansell and her husband Macky of Berlin and Debbie Donovan Holden of Chestertown; two nieces, Darby Holden and Alexandra Holden; two aunts, Carol Jane Donovan and Nelda Thomas and numerous cousins. Also surviving are his former wives, Mary Beth Donovan of Arnold and Joanne Donovan of Berlin.


He was a graduate of the University of Maryland. He had worked as an education assistant at Stephen Decatur Middle School and was an assistant lacrosse coach at Stephen Decatur High School. He also had worked in security at the Dunes Manor Hotel in Ocean City and had worked in the hospitality industry in Ocean City for many years.


Friends may call on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011 from noon-2 p.m. at the  Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin. Donations may be made to the Stephen Decatur High School Alumni Association for the Field House Fund Drive, 616 William St., Berlin, Md. 21811.

Joseph Carl Kelly

OCEAN CITY – Joseph Carl Kelly, 75, of Ocean Pines, and formerly of Piscataway, N.J., died Monday, Jan. 3, 2011 at home.

He was born in Pittston, Pa. and was the son of the late Earl J. and Mildred (Towey) Kelly.   

He was vice president of manufacturing at Polymer Extruded Products in Newark, N.J. and was a member of St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Ocean Pines. He also was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose and the American Legion Post 123 in Berlin. 

He is survived by his wife of over 49 years, Patricia A. Kelly of Ocean Pines; a son, Col. Brian T. Kelly and his wife Garrety of Aviano, Italy; a daughter, Karen A. DiProfio and her husband Louis of Colonia, N.J.; and two grandchildren, Nicholas and Christopher DiProfio.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 7 at St. John Neumann Catholic Church on Beauchamp Road in Ocean Pines with Father Francis Simeone officiating. Entombment will be on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Northampton Memorial Shrine in Easton, Pa. with Monsignor Edward Zemanik officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Coastal Hospice, P.O. Box 1733, Salisbury, Md. 21802 or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 163, Salisbury, Md. 21803.

Condolences may be sent by visiting www.hastingsfuneralhome.net.