PAUL H. MEHNE

Paul H. Mehne, 95, of Mendenhall, Pa., died on Jan. 21 at Linden Hall, Kennett Square. He was the husband of Doris R. Mehne, with whom he shared 70 years of marriage until her death in 2014.

Born in Ossining, NY and raised in Valhalla, NY, he was the son of Carl A.P. and Janet M. Mehne. He graduated from White Plains High School and Clarkson College of Technology, Potsdam, NY, with a chemical engineering degree. He worked for the DuPont Company for over 37 years, beginning at the Jackson Laboratory, Deepwater, NJ. In 1949, he transferred to the Experimental Station, Wilmington, Del., where he supervised the Pressure Research Laboratory of the Central Research and Development Department, retiring in 1985. He served his country in the European Theater during World War II, in the Chemical Corps, U.S. 3rd Army.

He was a member, trustee, elder, and treasurer of the Presbyterian Church of Kennett Square, and a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Chemical Society, Sigma Xi, the Research Society of America, American Society for Metals, and a volunteer with Meals-on-Wheels, with Cub Pack and Troop 24, Boy Scouts of America, and on various Kennett Township projects, including the Historic Commission.

Paul was predeceased by his wife, Doris Longfritz Mehne, his son, Paul R. Mehne, and his sister and four brothers, Virginia Clark, Albert R., Carl P., David W., and Douglas Q. Mehne. He is survived, by his son Rob (Katie) of Sycamore, IL, daughter-in-law Carol Mehne of Havertown, Pa., three grandchildren and their spouses: Meredith Mehne (Brian Yowell) of Missoula, MT, Amy Sanitate (Vito) of Havertown, Pa., and Jeff Mehne (Kate) of Kalamazoo, MI, five great-grandchildren, Noelle Sanitate, Max Mehne, Sawyer Yowell, Zoey Mehne, Lucy Mehne and step-great-grandchildren Landen and Tucker Yowell, as well as sister-in-law Carol P. Mehne, Sherman, CT and many nieces and nephews.

Paul will be fondly remembered for his love for his family and country. He had a special interest in gardening, history, wildlife, and birds, especially raptors.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Presbyterian Church of Kennett Square, 211 S. Broad St., Kennett Square, where family and friends may call at 10 to 11 a.m., prior to the service. Interment will be at the Union Hill Cemetery, Kennett Square.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions may be sent to The Memorial Fund, The Presbyterian Church of Kennett Square, 211 S. Broad St., Kennett Square, PA 19348.

WILLIAM G. BEMIS

William Griscom Bemis, 95, of Oxford, passed away on Jan. 22.

He was the youngest of eight children born to the late Elias Harrison Bemis and Daisy Hutchins Bemis of Granville, NY. As a young man of 15, Bill won a blue ribbon at the Oxford Community Fair in 1941 for his workmanship in woodshop. He spent his teenage years working at the Ice Factory in Oxford with his brother-in-law Walter Ewing, making blocks of ice to deliver to local farms for their ice boxes. Elias Harrison Bemis was a Democratic candidate running for Oxford Borough Council when he died suddenly when Bill was 17. Bill left Oxford High School and went to work for the Acme Market until he was drafted in the U.S. Army. He served in WWII. 

He was assigned to the 26th Infantry Division, 390th AAA Aw Company D. of General Patton’s 3rd Army. As a machine gunner on a half-track vehicle, he was a participant in the three-week Battle of the Bulge. Letters between him and his family show a boy who became a man dealing with heartache and loss, who missed fishing with his brothers, and being in Munich, Germany. He almost died during the war, battling pneumonia. Bill Bemis earned the American Campaign Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 Bronze Stars, and the World War II Victory Medal.

After the war, he returned to working at Acme Market and joined the Oxford Fire Department Police in 1947. He met his first wife, Mildred Creasy, at the Acme Store and married her on Oct. 29, 1946. He became a proud father to Donna Kay Cole. He remarried on Dec. 11, 1971 to Jean Baker and remained married until Jean’s death in 2002. He continued his career with GM Motors of Wilmington, Del., working on the assembly line and retiring in 1982. Due to his frugality, he saved every penny he earned, and enjoyed traveling with his wife Jean. His hobbies included fishing and bird watching. He was an excellent carver of walking sticks. He once was told he was a good man, his response was, “I try to be.” Unable to continue to live by himself in 2017, he entered Country View Manor, an assisted living facility in Quarryville, Pa., where he became a companion to Mary Reisinger. He was granted an honorary degree from Oxford High School in 2018 due to his service to the community and nation. He was a Mason of good standing and resided at the Masonic Village of Elizabethtown for his later years, where he thoroughly enjoyed the people he met there. 

He was a lifetime member of Union Fire Company, No. 1, Oxford, Oxford Lodge #353 F. & A. M., Sachem of the Ocklokonee Tribe #212 I.O.R.M., Improved Order of Redmen, Oxford, lifetime member of the Strasburg Sportsman Assoc., past president of the Octorara Sportsman Club, a lifetime member of Roy W. Gibson Post #535 American Legion, Oxford and Veteran of Foreign Wars Post #5467.

Preceding him in death were his wife, Jean Louis Baker (daughter of Harry M Baker and Alice Cordelia Wicks); his siblings, Mildred Ewing, Herbert Horace, Milton Harrison, Sylvia (infant), Viola Sidwell Connolly, Anna Mae Irwin, and Wilson; his paternal grandparents, Horace Allen Bemis and Harriet Vanguilder of Granville, NY and his maternal grandparents, Herbert Hutchins and Susan Dayton of Middletown Springs, Vermont; His great-grandchild, Eleanor Lily Ayers.   He is survived by his daughter, Donna Kay Cole; two granddaughters, Jennifer Cole Ayers (Geoff) & Karen Cole Fletcher (Jonathan); Four great-grandchildren, Malcolm Cole Ayers, Cole Isaac Fletcher, Amelia Iris Ayers, and Cordelia Rose Fletcher. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held on Jan. 27 at the Oxford United Methodist Church, Oxford.

Interment will be in Oxford Cemetery with full military honors. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Oxford United Methodist Church or Oxford Masonic Lodge, 245 N 3rd St, Oxford, PA 19363.
Arrangements handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., Oxford.
Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.