Alberta M. Nilan

Alberta M. “Bert” Nilan, a resident of New London, passed away January 17, at home. She was 84.

Born in Kemblesville, Pa., she was the daughter of the late Albert Raymouth and Anna Irene Hunter Mote.

Bert was an active member of the Landenberg United Methodist Church and attended New London Methodist Church where she sang in the New London Community Choir.

With her son, she owned and operated,Tim Sylmar Products in Oxford for 13 years.

In 1954, Bert was crowned May Queen of Avon Grove High School.

She received her Secretary of Student Nurses Associates of Delaware in 1957 from Memorial Hospital in Wilmington, Del.  

In 1957, she attended the International Nurses Convention in Rome, Italy and was in the audience with Pope Pius XII and attended a nurses’ convention in Chicago, IL where she saw John Wayne and Lowell Thomas.   

Bert was awarded the Kennett Professional Business and Woman of the Year in June, 1994 and in June of 1987 she received Women of the Year from the Chester County Press.

She had a love for life and was hardworking. Bert enjoyed lawn work, gardening, baking cakes and especially her grandchildren.

She is survived by her two sons, Thomas Walter Nilan, Jr and Timothy Scott Nilan; three grandchildren, Allison Elizabeth Nilan, Thomas Sean Nilan and Miranda Olivia Nilan; two great-grandchildren, Cambrie Markey and Chase Markey; and one sister, Dorothy Joan Mote Whiteside.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Florence Irene Reel.

Service and interment are private.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.

Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

Carol A. Holohan

Carol A. Holohan, a resident of West Grove, passed away on Jan. 12 at Christiana Hospital. 

Carol was the wife of the late Albert X. Holohan, who predeceased her in November of 2004.

Born in Philadelphia, Carol was the daughter of the late Charles Maggi, Sr. and the late Adelaide G. Gaynor.

Carol spent her childhood in the city before moving to the Philadelphia suburbs where she married and raised her family. She remained a south Philadelphian at heart, sharing the traditions and memories of her youth with her children: Joe’s Water Ice, New Year’s Eve dimes on the windowsills and pots and pans celebrations, the Mummers, and American Bandstand to name only a few. All the while, she was making new, treasured memories with her family: vacations at the Jersey Shore (fudgie wudgies, the log flume, Cozy Morely’s), the best Christmases any kids could have, homemade bean soup with dumplings, family dinners at Walbers on the Delaware and the Longhorn Ranch (the original in Glen Mills). 

She was the family cheerleader for swim meets, baseball games, softball games, track meets and football. Sunday night trips to BINGO were her escape when her kids were small, but all got to participate in that magic with her at one point or another.

As her family grew, so did Carol’s heart…almost bursting when grandchildren and great grandchildren arrived. She adored all of her grandpups over the years and the “diaper-free” babysitting time spent with them. She was always exceedingly generous to her family. 

QVC will surely miss Carol’s patronage, but nothing will compare to the loss her family will feel day in and day out without her in their lives. The memories called out here and many, many more that remain in their hearts will eventually bring peace. May all of Carol’s friends over the years also find the same peace when remembering the time spent together.

Carol is survived by her two sons, Anthony Holohan and Kevin Holohan (Kathya); her daughter, Cindy Kunkel (Billy); four grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.
Due to pandemic restrictions, a memorial service will be scheduled for a later date. Once service details become available, the website will be updated accordingly.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Carol’s memory may be made to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia via https://give2.chop.edu. The email [email protected] can be used for acknowledgement.

Arrangements are being handled by Kuzo Funeral Home of Kennett Square.

Benny Pizzini

Benny Pizzini, a resident  of Wilmington, Del. and formerly of Landenberg, passed away on Jan. 21 at his residence. He was 84.

He was the husband of Mudite Legzdina Pizzini, with whom he shared 20 years of marriage.

Born in Landenberg, he was the son of the late Stefano Pizzini and the late Guditta Pizzini.

Benny was a mushroom grower in the family business, S. Pizzini and Sons of Landenberg.

He was a member of St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother Church in Avondale.

Benny enjoyed bowling, watching football, cowboy movies and being with his family and friends. In earlier years, he enjoyed playing soccer and basketball.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by one daughter, Teresa Pizzini (and her husband Steve Lafferty) of Hockessin, Del.; one son, Ben-Joseph Pizzini (and his wife Susan) of Landenberg, PA; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Carol Mahoney Pizzini, who passed away in 1997, and with whom he shared 39 years of marriage, and two brothers, Lucio Pizzini and Stephen Pizzini.

A funeral mass was held on Jan. 26 at the Sorrowful Mother Church. Burial was in St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Kennett Square.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made to St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother Church, PO Box 709, Avondale, PA 19311.

To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

Janet Eastburn Quinn

Janet Eastburn Quinn, of Blackwood, NJ, passed away peacefully at home on Jan. 21. She was 89. 

She was born in West Grove to the late Ferris D. Eastburn and Margaret B. Gregg, on Sept. 27, 1931.  

She attended West Grove Methodist Church, and was baptized in 1942. While she was a member of the Methodist Church she also faithfully attended West Grove Presbyterian Church each Sunday.  She was a member of the choir and also played the piano as well as the church organ.

She graduated from Avon Grove High School in 1949. She played the saxophone and was a member of the Avon Grove Marching Band in high school. After graduation, she attended West Chester University and studied accounting for one year at which time she began her career with the telephone company. 

She started working for Bell Telephone in Kennett Square in 1950. When she moved to Philadelphia, she continued working for Bell Telephone and eventually AT&T.  She moved to Shamong, NJ in 1966, at which time she transferred to Bell Atlantic [NJ Bell].  After later working for AT&T, she returned to what is now known as Verizon Communications where she retired after 43 years of service with Ma Bell.

In her personal time, Janet loved to read.  She also like to fly with her husband, travel and spend time with her family.  She would knit and crochet when the children were young, making much of their clothing herself.

Janet was the beloved wife of the late Geoffrey D. Quinn. She was the devoted mother of the late Janet R. (and her surviving husband William B.) Sharpless, Sr. of West Grove, Anne Marie [Jay] Montel of Blackwood, NJ and Jeffrey Quinn [Judy] of Shamong, NJ.  

She was the cherished grandmother of William B. [Carey] Sharpless II of Newark, Del., Miranda L. Quinn, Mykaela A. Quinn, Meladi M. Quinn and Mya I. Montel of Blackwood, NJ, the loving great-grandmother of Brayden and Kaleigh Sharpless of Newark, Del., and the dear sister of Nancy A. [Harold] Sumner of Northport, FL.

Services were held on Jan. 29 at Foulk Funeral Home in West Grove, and she was laid to rest at Oxford Cemetery.

Should you wish to honor her memory with a donation, please consider Cooper Heart Institute, Cooper Foundation #401530, Three Cooper Plaza, Ste. 500, Camden, NJ 08103.

To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

Doris P. Cole

On Friday, Jan. 22, Doris P. Cole of West Grove, previously of West Chester, passed away at Twin Pines Health Care Center.

Born April 18, 1929, in Edgefield, South Carolina, Doris was the daughter of the late Fay M. Price (nee Turner) and Ben A. Price. She grew up in Ninety-Six, S.C., and graduated from The Greenwood College of Commerce.

She spent her younger years with NASA. in administrative support for various departments for the Mercury program. She became friends with all of the astronauts, and it was a time in her life for which she was extremely proud to have served her country.

She moved to Washington D.C. when she was 29 and began a two-year service at the Pentagon. During her time at the Pentagon, she would visit her brother Robert in West Chester on weekends, where she was introduced to her future husband Louis Edward Cole.

Doris and “Gus” were married on Jan. 6, 1961.During the early part of their marriage, Gus was serving in the Army, and they lived in various places, including Fairbanks, Alaska.

They eventually settled in West Chester in 1969 with their two sons, Mark and Eric.She worked at Wyeth laboratories in the packaging department for over 25 years until her retirement.

She was an incredible gardener and enjoyed being outside with her flowers and vegetables. Always hospitable, you never left her house in the summertime without a few fresh vegetables. She also enjoyed spending time in Ocean City, Md., sitting by the beach and enjoying fresh seafood.

Doris was passionate about her faith and was a longtime member of Calvary Lutheran Church in West Chester. Affectionately known as The Woman in Purple, she loved her church and enjoyed helping out with the congregation any way she could. She was greatly appreciative of the visits from her friend Dona Haltiwanger, who kept her in touch and connected with the church when she was no longer able to attend services.

She was preceded in death by her husband Louis Edward Cole and two brothers, William Price of Greenwood S.C. and Robert Price of West Chester.

She is survived by her two sons, Mark Cole of St. Louis, MO, and Eric Cole (Kim) of Cochranville, and her two grandsons Peyton Cole and Tyler Cole, both of Cochranville. 

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a memorial service is not possible at this time. A memorial service will take place when possible.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Doris’ name to the Brandywine Valley S.P.C.A., 1212 Phoenixville Pike, West Chester, PA 19380.

To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

Arrangements are being handled by the Foulk Funeral Home in West Grove.

Emily Talley

Emily (Ford) Talley, 97, formerly of West Grove, passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home in Jacksonville FL on Jan. 22.

Emily was born Feb. 21, 1923 in Brandywine Hundred, Del., the daughter of the late Ralph and Esther (Barlow) Ford. She shared 34 years of marriage to Lewis Talley before his passing in 1976.

Emily and Lew operated a successful dairy farm in Kemblesville, where they worked side by side for 30 years. Later, Emily was a cafeteria worker for the Avon Grove School District and a receptionist for Kendal at Longwood where she built a lifelong relationship with family and friends.

During World War II, Emily was a civilian plane spotter working at a spotter site in Kemblesville. She was an 80-year member of Kemblesville United Methodist Church for which she volunteered in many capacities, including the snack bar at Hill’s Auction. Emily also supported Southern Chester County Medical Center as a transport volunteer where she was awarded her 5000-hour pin and named the 2008 Volunteer of the Year.  One of her favorite places was Sandy Cove Ministries in North East Md., where she assisted at the Treasure Cove Shop, which operated as a fundraiser for Sandy Cove.

Her main focus was her family. 

She is survived by her sister, Evelyn Logan of North East, Md. and many loving nieces and nephews.  She is also survived by her daughter Sue (Harry) Downs of Jacksonville, FL where she lived for the past three years, and Esther Corby of West Chester.

Thanksgiving Day of 2019 was celebrated in Jacksonville FL at the home of Sue and Harry with Esther and grandchildren John (Nina) Downs of Chapel Hill, NC, Nick (Tricia) Corby of Downingtown, and Deborah (Jeff) Morgan of St Johns, FL and great-grandchildren, Nikhil, Kiran and Maya Downs; Cole and Claire Corby as well as Caleb and Rebecca Morgan—all attending a beautiful day together, one that the family will all cherish.

She was preceded in death by a sister Dorothy Mendenhall and her brother Andrew Ford.  

The services and interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Emily R. Talley, Community Hospice and Palliative Care - Attention:  Foundation Department, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257.

Arrangements are being handled by DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home, Inc. 410 N. Church St. West Chester, PA 19380 (610-696-1181 and www.DellaFH.com).

Larry James Kilby

Larry James Kilby, of West Grove, passed away on Jan. 24 at Lancaster General Hospital with his family at his side. He was 70.

He was the devoted husband of Linda (Shelton) Kilby, with whom he shared almost 46 years of marriage. 

Born on Oct. 10, 1950 in Wilmington, Del., he was the son of the late Smith and Elsie (Gouge) Kilby.

Larry was a graduate of Avon Grove High School in the class of 1968. He proudly served in the U.S. Air Force. Following his time in the military, he began a career working for Potts Welding and Boiler Repair in Wilmington and later for Bells Welding and Mechanical Repair in Avondale.

In his spare time, he enjoyed working on cars and doing other projects with his brother, Buster, in his garage. He also could be found riding in his 1938 Chevy Coupe. He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to make people smile. His favorite thing in the world was spending time with his grandchildren.

In addition to his wife, Linda, he is survived by his children, Amanda G. Blazek and Michael J. Kilby, and his son-in-law John Blazek and daughter-in-law Adrienne Kilby. He is also survived by his grandchildren; Avery and Nathaniel Blazek and Jackson Kilby, and his siblings, Sue Porter and Jerry Kilby. He will also be missed by his brother-in-laws Pete Shelton and Jack Shelton. In addition to his parents, Larry is preceded in death by his brother Robert “Buster” Kilby.

A service was held on Jan. 30 at Union Hill Cemetery in Kennett Square. 

Arrangements handled by the Foulk Funeral Home of West Grove. To visit his online memorial, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

Marilyn Anne Shepherd

Marilyn Anne Shepherd, 73, of Quarryville, Pa., went home to be with the Lord on Jan. 23 at Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community.

She was the wife of the late James B. Shepherd, Sr.

Born in Philadelphia on Dec. 15, 1947, she was the daughter of the late Thomas and Roberta (Cliff) Passerini.

Marilyn graduated from Springfield Township High School in 1965, and went on to attend Philadelphia College of the Bible majoring in elementary education. Marilyn retired in 2015 as the secretary to the assistant superintendent for the Solanco School District.

As a child, Marilyn accepted Jesus as her Savior while attending Vacation Bible School (VBS).  This led her to faithfully serve as a VBS staff member in churches throughout her lifetime.  She was an accomplished pianist and organist, and enjoyed accompanying soloists, choirs, and church services.  

Marilyn also enjoyed singing in choirs, attending local theater productions, registering baked good entries at the Solanco Fair, watching the Philadelphia Phillies, cruising to the Bahamas, relaxing on the beach, and spending time with friends and family.

Marilyn is survived by her daughter, Rachel Capicotto, and three sons, Benjamin, Stephen, and David Petty, along with their spouses.  

Marilyn is the grandmother of six grandchildren, Ernest Peterson Jr.; Jonathan, Emily, and Allison Petty; Aaron and Naomi Petty. She is also survived by her two sisters, Roberta Douglas and Jeanette Montgomery, along with their families.

Services were held at the Oxford Cemetery on Jan. 30, followed by a memorial service and meal at Mt. Vernon Christian Church in Kirkwood, Pa.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Andrews Bridge Christian Fellowship VBS Fund, 1873 Georgetown Rd., Christiana, PA 17509.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

Howard Scott Chapman  

Howard Scott Chapman, 56, of Bel Air, Md., formerly of Cecil County, passed away on Jan. 23 at the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center.

Born in Elkton, Md., he was the son of the late Leon Arthur and Alvina Gertrude Kiser.

Scott enjoyed playing games on his tablet, collecting pens, model cars and trucks, wrestling memorabilia and music. 

He is survived by his four grandchildren, Marcus Testerman, Peyton Blowers, Clarence Timothy Meadows and Brandon Matthews Meadows; one great-granddaughter, Janayah Noelle Testerman; and two sisters, Ann Sawyers and Barbara Lyonsberry.

He was preceded in death by one son, Brandon O’Farrell and one sister, Nancy Hubert. 

Services will be private.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.

Online condolences may be made at www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com.

Daniel Delp

Daniel “Danny” Delp, age 43, of Wisconsin Dells, WI passed away on Jan. 27.

Danny was born Aug. 6, 1977 in West Chester, the son of David and Laura (Webb) Delp Sr.

Danny loved being outdoors and spending time with family. He liked reading and writing poetry and was a Shakespeare fan. He was talented at furniture restoration and appreciated the mentoring from Paul Robbins. 

He wrestled from a very young age and throughout school and later, helped coach young wrestlers. 

Danny was a baseball fan, and his favorite team was the Philadelphia Phillies. 

He enjoyed all types of music and was always the first up to dance. He loved animals, especially dogs and cows. As a boy, he could often be found hugging a calf or talking to and petting his favorite cows.

Daniel is survived by mother, Laura (Russell Burdick); brother, Clark (Jennifer) Delp; sister, Mary Delp; nephews, Tristen and Blake, and nieces, Alyssa, Carrina, Lauren and Mariah. 

He is preceded in death by his father, David D. Delp Sr.; paternal grandparents, Graham and Betty Delp; and maternal grandparents, Stanley and Doratha (McMichael) Webb.

Funeral services were held on Jan. 31 at the Picha Funeral Home in Lake Delton, WI, with pastor Don Glanzer  serving as officiate.

The Picha Funeral Home and Crematory of Lake Delton, WI assisted the family with arrangements. 

For online condolences and information, go to www.pichafuneralhome.com.

Rella Murr Bates

Rella Murr Bates passed away peacefully during her sleep on Jan. 26 at the age of 94.

Rella was born a Tennessee farm girl with brothers David and Curtis, and sisters Connie and Alene. An ethic of hard work,  persistence and grit were instilled in her from these early years of helping out her parents, David and Beulah, on the farm.

Recruited out of high school, she began her employment at the now historic, Oak Ridge Power Plant where, unbeknownst to her, she was an integral part of the Manhattan Project to help build “the bomb.”

During her time there, a young Alan Bates had arrived to also work on The Project in a different capacity, working at Union Carbide, while also completing his masters degree from MIT. That's where destiny stepped in, when they met and began dating.

On one fateful day in the winter, a few months after they began to date, Rella had a bad fall on the ice on the way to see a local football game and had a bad cut on her head. Rushed to the emergency room, and after getting stitches, Alan then realized that he wanted to take care of her for the rest of her life. He proposed then and there. 

Married in 1951, their first child, Stephanie, came along two years later, followed by their son, Douglas. 

Rella and Alan shared 69 years of wedded bliss.

After Alan was hired at Atlas Chemical, they moved to Wilmington, Del., which is where they raised their family. They later moved to Hockessin, Del. and, finally to Jenner's Pond Retirement Community in West Grove in 1999.   

 

Rella had an avid interest in gardening, growing not only decorative plants, but an extensive vegetable garden, cooking (no one could compare with Rella’s down-home, from-the-heart cooking), and sewing (making a lot of her and her daughter’s clothes), and took great pride in decorating the house for the holidays, and gatherings with family and friends. Christmas was her favorite time of the year for that.

Her other passions were dance, bowling, yoga, and tai chi. She and Alan also loved ballroom dancing.

When they moved to Jenners Pond, she began doing volunteer work at Jennersville Hospital, and helped create, with her husband, a beautiful nature walking trail there for all to enjoy, which is her legacy to this day. 

One of her greatest joys was seeing and hearing the gifts of music that her two children gave her, as they both are professional entertainers. 

Besides her two children being her pride and joy, she was very close to and loved spending time with her grandchildren, Cambia and Cody, and her little great-granddaughter, who bears her name, little Rella. 

All these elements of a beautiful life, well and fully lived, don’t begin to paint the picture of the essence of who Rella was. She lit up the lives of all who knew her with her zest for life, her beautiful smile and infectious laugh, her all-embracing spirit, and most of all, her very large heart. Heaven is now a far richer place with her there. 

Due to Covid-19 concerns, for now, there will be no remembrance services.  An announcement will be shared should that change.  

If you wish to make a gift in her name, the family is very grateful to Willow Tree Hospice for their care of Rella.  Also, Salvation Army is one of her favorite charities, as is the Macular Degeneration Society.

To view her online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.