Timothy Joseph Toomey

Timothy Joseph Toomey, of West Grove, passed away peacefully after a brief illness on March 17, 2023,  St. Patrick’s Day, at Twin Pines Health Care Center.

Born in West Chester, he was the son of the late  Joseph M. Toomey and the late Anne O’Brien Toomey.

He was a graduate of Kennett High School.

Timothy was a plumber in the area for many years.

He enjoyed gardening and spending time with his family.

He is survived by his son, Lucas C. Toomey (Aislinn); daughter, Kate E. Toomey; granddaughter Gwenivere Toomey, and stepson Rob Toomey (Amanda), as well as Rob’s children, Darren Robinson, Madisen Robinson Fernandez, Anthony Robinson, Eve Shipkowski, Jade Shipkowski and Skye Shipkowski. He is also survived by his sisters, Sheila Toomey Dougherty (Dana) and Kate Toomey Valentino (Gabriel) and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by a brother, Michael J. Toomey and a sister, Patricia J. Toomey

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on  Wednesday, March 29 at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 300 State Road in West Grove. 

Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery in West Grove.

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

Linda C. Armstrong

Linda C. (Weaver) Armstrong, 82, of McVeytown, passed away on March 20, 2023 at her home. She was the wife of Harold R. Armstrong for 66 years.

Born on July 21, 1940 in Lewistown, she was a daughter of the late Ray Weaver and Mabel (Ramsey) Bilger. 

She worked a variety of jobs, the most recent being at a Vo-Tech School as a cafeteria server. During her free time, Linda loved crafting, photography, card games, playing pogo, and talking with her friends. She also enjoyed attending the Huntingdon Fair.

In addition to her husband, Linda is survived by her daughter, Vicki Pratt of Tennessee, four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren. Also surviving are her siblings, Debi Bilger Fell (and husband William), Bill Sausser (and wife, Louise), Mary Wiser, and Barbara Schmidt. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, her son, Barry Armstrong, and siblings, Glen Weaver, Janette Herbert, Patricia Hess, Thomas Bilger, and William Bilger. 

All services will be private. She will be buried at Pleasant View Cemetery. King-Barr Funeral Home LLC is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences can be sent on kingbarrfuneralhome.com.

Robert Allen Farmer  

Robert “Bob” Farmer, of Millsboro, Del., passed away on March 17, 2023. 

He is the son of Daney Ray and Mildred Bush Farmer. 

Bob grew up in Oxford and graduated from Oxford Area High School and Oklahoma State University. As a young man, Bob played soccer, ran track, and excelled as a member of the Boy Scouts of America. He earned the honor of Eagle Scout and served as president of the Order of the Arrow, elected by his peers for exemplifying scouting’s values. 

Bob expressed a love of design and beauty in his many pursuits: teaching art, woodworking, making pottery, building furniture, and constructing homes. As owner of Creative Kitchens, in Charlottesville, Va., he designed and installed beautiful spaces for preparing meals and entertaining. 

In retirement, Bob worked at Harry’s Hardware, in Delaware, sharing with customers his expertise. Bob was quick to lend a hand when family, friends and neighbors needed a creative solution to a home-repair problem. Bob enjoyed tinkering in his shop and tending to his plants.

A devoted family man, Bob enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren. His constant companions were his dogs, Noah, Bernie, and Sally. 

Bob had a sense of humor – goofy, irreverent, at times inappropriate – that endured to the end. 

Bob is survived by his children and their spouses, Dana Farmer and John Pulley, and Adam Farmer and Elizabeth Hook Farmer; his grandchildren, Henry Pulley, Charlie Pulley, Ella Farmer, and Marin Farmer, his brother, Lawrence Farmer (and his spouse Marlene), his sister-in-law Ruth Farmer, and many nieces and nephews. 

Bob was predeceased by his parents, his sister and her spouse, Dorothy and John Hunter, and his brother, Richard Farmer. 

A graveside service was held at March 25 at Oxford Cemetery.

 In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Chester County Council Boy Scouts of America, www.cccbsa.org. 

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

Karen Lesley

On March 15, 2023, Karen Lesley died at home while surrounded by family and friends after a year-long struggle with colon cancer.

She was born in Lancaster, Pa. on Aug. 22, 1958, a daughter of the late Hugh Lesley and Ruth (Hammell) Lefever of Oxford.

Karen was the quintessential Lancaster County farm girl. She grew up helping raise crops and chickens and spent her childhood summers pruning Christmas trees and squishing bag worms. She was a 1976 graduate of Solanco High School and went on to proudly earn a degree in textile design at Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science. 

She worked in the apparel industry at Lady Hamilton, Bonny Bunting, Masters Tuxedo, and Moving Comfort.

In 1986, during a trip to visit to her brother in Monterey, Calif., she met Ronald Rice, a student at the Naval Postgraduate School. They married in 1987. She then embarked on the life of a U.S. Navy spouse, moving multiple times during her husband’s assignments in northern Virginia, Washington D.C., Virginia Beach, Stuttgart, Germany, and Norfolk, VA, before finally building their retirement home in Airville, Pa. They called it Dog Run Acres to reflect their love of their pets. Karen was an enthusiastic traveler who thoroughly enjoyed being stationed in Germany where she travelled extensively across Europe.

Karen was an incredibly talented seamstress, creating custom outfits and bags, multiple wedding and bridesmaid dresses, draperies, and even pandemic masks out of fun fabrics. She was especially sought out for her upholstery skills due to her talent in fitting fabric covers to complicated chair and sofa shapes. Her love of sewing was instilled by her mother, a home economics teacher and marvelous seamstress.

She loved the arts and supported the Fulton Opera House and Lancaster Symphony Orchestra as a donor and season ticket holder. She also loved reading books, listening to old radio shows, and watching classic Hollywood musicals, especially with Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Gene Kelly. Her love of classical music was instilled by her grandmother, who taught her piano and introduced her to a variety of music genres.

Karen was a member of the Leif Ericson Society, designing and sewing numerous historical costumes. She was also a crew member of the Leif Ericson Viking Ship 'Norseman' and enjoyed her time sailing and rowing the ship and teaching children about the history of the Vikings and spreading the word that “Leif Landed First.”

Her love of Ford’s Edsel was instilled in her by her father, a renowned collector. She shares her birth year, 1958, with the ill-fated car.

She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Captain Ronald Rice, U.S. Navy (retired), and three siblings, Kenneth Lesley (and Catherine Osman), Eileen Scotten (and Michael Godra), and Peter Lesley. She has five nieces and nephews, Dwayne Hugh Scotten, R. Christopher Scotten, David Lesley, Sarah Osman Lesley, and Cheyenne Lesley, as well as five grand-nieces or grand-nephews, two dogs and eight cats.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 15 at Union Presbyterian Church, 5637 Street Road in Kirkwood, Pa., with refreshments following the service.

Flowers are welcome, but please consider a donation in her name to the American Cancer Society or one of her favorite nonprofits: Oxford or Quarryville library, the Leif Ericson Viking Ship, Inc. (LEVS), WHFC (Harford Community College Radio, 91.1 FM), and WVUD (the Voice of the University of Delaware, 91.3 FM). 

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

Helena Ruth Icenhour

Helena Ruth Icenhour, of Nottingham, passed away peacefully at home while surrounded by loved ones on March 21, 2023. She was 79.

She was the wife of the late James L. Icenhour, with whom she shared 53 years of marriage. Born in Konnarock, VA she was the daughter of the late Ruben Fred and Lula Shatley Barker. 

Helena was employed with Pocopson Home as a CNA and retired in 2008 after 28 years of service. She also worked with her husband as a mushroom grower in Nottingham. 

She was a member of Lighthouse Gospel Free Will Baptist Church in Nottingham. 

Helena enjoyed gardening, singing in church, playing the piano, arts & crafts, adult coloring books and, most of all, spending time with friends and family. 

She is survived by one son, Timothy W. Icenhour (Victoria) of Kennett Square, four grandchildren, Timothy W. Icenhour Jr. (Katie), Chad Icenhour (Emily), Christian Icenhour and Maggie Icenhour. 

She was preceded in death by her son, Thomas E. Icenhour. 

Funeral services were held on March 24 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.

Interment will be held in Nottingham Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery. 

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

George John Tomeo

George John Tomeo, of Nottingham, passed away at home on March 23, 2023. He was 82.

He was the husband of Maryann Mooney Tomeo, with whom he shared 65 years of marriage.

Born in Atlantic City, NJ, he was the son of the late Jerome and Cassie Bail Tomeo.

George retired from Boeing in Ridley Park as a machinist.

He loved the Jersey Shore, sports, billiards and golf.

He is survived by his wife, one son, Gary J. Tomeo (Lynn McKernan) of Landenberg, and five grandchildren, Lily Tomeo, Abigail Tomeo, John Tomeo, James Tomeo and Jason Bias.

He was preceded in death by one son, John E. Tomeo and a brother, Samuel J. Tomeo.

Services 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.