Obituaries / April 1, 2009

RACHEL ANN SPICER “ANN”
Rachel Ann Spicer “Ann”, 80, passed away on Friday March 27, 2009.

She was born in Lincoln, the daughter of the late Lorenzo B. and Julia A. (King) Hitchens. Spicer retired from the State of Delaware in 1981 as Chief Clerk of the Family Court after 30 years of service. She graduated from Georgetown High School in 1946. She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Georgetown and also attended the Transformation Station also of Georgetown.  Ann enjoyed gardening, going to dances, shopping with Patsy Gordon, going to dinner with Norman and Ruth Ann Spicer, going to Ohio to visit her niece Jean Birch and her Great niece Cindy Taggart and her husband Dan. Ann thoroughly enjoyed meeting with her high school class of 1946 and her fellow retired employees from the Family Court for their lunches. Every Christmas Ann made cakes for several special people. She helped and cared for so many people and will be greatly missed by all, especially by Stevie and Zack who were the love of her life and shared so many good times. 

In addition to both parents she was predeceased by her husband, George L. Spicer; a sister, Elsie Eastham; and a brother Norman Hitchens.    

She is survived by her son, Steven L. Spicer of Georgetown; a grandson, Zackery B. Spicer and his girlfriend Nikki Toohey of Lewes; sister in law and brother in law Emma Chandler and her husband Jim of Laurel; niece Jean Birch of Monroe, Ohio; great niece, Cindy Taggart and her husband Dan of Hamilton Ohio; nephew, Norman Spicer and his wife Ruth Ann of Georgetown; a niece, Patsy Gordon and her husband Harry of Georgetown; niece Doris Ann Porter and her husband Wayne of Harrington; nephew, Dennis Spicer of Harrington; niece, Connie Walls and husband Conner of Florida; nephew, Ronnie Lubiniecki and his wife Eunice of Laurel; two lifelong friends, Marie Ellingsworth of Ellendale and Eleanor Johnson of Georgetown; a God-daughter, Pamela Ann Johnson of Harrisburg, Pa.; and her cat Stormy.

A Funeral service will be held on (today) Wednesday April 1, in the Chapel of Short Funeral Services, 609 East Market Street, Georgetown, where friends may call after 11am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Transformation Station 510 S. Bedford St. Georgetown DE. 19947 or to the S.P.C.A. Sussex Chapter at 326 S. Dupont Hwy. Georgetown DE. 19947.

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GEORGE H. HARRISON
George H. Harrison, 81, of Long Neck, formerly of Georgetown, passed away Monday, March 23, 2009 at the Renaissance Health Care Center in Long Neck, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born October 21, 1927 in Winston Salem, NC to the late William and Hilda Harrison.

He served in the United States Navy during WWII and the Korean War. He was eventually stationed in Cape May, NJ. After the Navy he settled in Georgetown, and started a new and used furniture business known as “The Swap Shop”. He was a self-made entrepreneur with several different businesses, ranging from the installation of storm windows to the demolition of buildings from the March “62” storm. He went on to build several homes in the Cabbage Corner area of Georgetown before becoming a cofounder of Leisure Point Resort in Long Neck, which he constructed and operated until 1973. In the early 70’s, he established Delaware Home Inc. in the old Otis Smith fish plant in Lewes, and produced the first 14-foot wide mobile home in Delaware. He later moved to Florida and owned and operated Orange Grove Campground in Kissimmee, Florida. During his stay in Florida he built and operated mini-warehouses and also operated a Mobile Home Community, “Hidden Valley” for a Des Moines, Iowa Savings and Loan Association. George also lived in Littleton, NC, where he was active in the Lakeside Lutheran Church.

He was a 32nd degree Master Mason. George’s passion was stock cars and airplanes. He held a private pilots license and was an avid racecar fan and driver at racetracks in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida.

He was preceded in death by his second wife, Jeannie Harrison in 2006.    

He is survived by his first wife, Thelma Corso of Long Neck; two daughters, June Marie Johnson and her husband Wayne of Long Neck, Carol Dodd and her husband, Wayne of Milford; a son, Dick Harrison and his wife Gladys of Long Neck; his sister, Betty J. Estep of Middletown; five grandchildren, Brian Johnson and his wife Robin of Georgetown, Frank Johnson of Wilmington, Duane Dodd of Felton, Christopher Harrison and his wife Melinda of Long Neck, Jill Harrison of Long Neck; five great grandchildren, Peyton and Cole Johnson of Wilmington, Brandon Dodd of Felton, Christopher and Zachary Harrison of Long Neck; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held Saturday, March 28, at the Long Neck chapel of Melson Funeral Services, Long Neck.

Burial was private.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions in George’s memory to, Delaware Hospice Center, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE. 19963.