Gary M. Pawliczek
Gary Michael Pawliczek, age 58, of Avondale, peacefully passed away on Oct. 10, 2023 at his home. Despite his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in August of 2023, he remained a fighter and loved life.

Gary was the husband of Marion "Mimi" (Traynor) Pawliczek, with whom he shared 28 years of marriage. Born in Upper Darby, Pa., he was the son of the late William A. Pawliczek, who died in 2018, and Elizabeth "Pat" (Cavanaugh) Pawliczek of Haddonfield, New Jersey.

Gary graduated from Dickinson College with a double major in economics and political science with a specialty in third world economics. Soon after, he fulfilled a desire to experience and travel the world, visiting over 75 countries.

He met his wife, Mimi, while managing Cavanaugh’s Restaurant in Wilmington, Del., and went on to open the sandwich shop, Zoe’s Express.

Gary was a longtime financial planner, most recently for LPL Financial. Gary found great satisfaction from helping his client families secure their financial futures. He was proud of his recent accelerated completion of certification as a CFP, certified financial planner.

Gary was a member of numerous professional, networking, and service clubs including the Kennett Square Light Rotary Club, the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce, the Chester County Chamber of Commerce, BNI, and Toastmasters. He was very involved and eagerly accepted calls to action in every organization to which he belonged.

He enjoyed travel and planning family vacations, especially to Key West, France, Alabama, Maine, and Avalon, New Jersey.

Some of Gary’s more unique roles in life included being a beach lifeguard in his teenage years, serving as class president of his high school, and fostering several children with Mimi in the 1990s. He also regularly assisted Mimi with her antique booths and estate sale company.

He will be remembered for his positivity, prudent advice, fun-loving energy, and numerous “Gary-isms.” He recently found joy in making “rescued art” and had his creations shown in local galleries.

In addition to his wife Mimi and his mother Pat, Gary is survived by three brothers, Patrick (Donna) of Philadelphia, Timothy (Christine) of Cherry Hill, and Brian of Philadelphia, three daughters, Laura Soltys (John) of Hockessin, Lucy Santerre (Steven) of Maine, and Zoe of Avondale, and one son, Justin Gimbutas (Liz) of Newark. Also surviving are dozens of nieces and nephews.

You are invited to visit with Gary’s family and friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, 7200 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin, Del. His Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 1 p.m. 

Interment will be in Kemblesville Community Cemetery, 1772 New London Road, Kemblesville.  

Contributions in Gary's memory may be made to Kennett Square Rotary Light Club at 31 Sherwood Dr, Avondale PA 19311-9756 or [email protected].

Arrangements are by Matthew Grieco, of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-734-8100) of Kennett Square. 

To view Gary's online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.griecofunerals.com. 

Francois Noel Weigel
Francois Noel “Skip” Weigel, 83, of Cochranville, passed away on Oct. 8, 2023 at Chester County Hospital in West Chester.

He was the husband of Linda Newton Weigel, with whom he shared 57 years of marriage. 

Born in Elkton, Md., he was the son of the late Amos and Frances Press Weigel.

Skip was a veteran of the U.S. Army. 

He was employed as a manager for Acme Markets and after retirement he was employed with Robinson’s Furniture in Oxford and he also managed Tanglewood Manor Golf Club in Quarryville. 

Skip was a scuba diver with the Chester County Rescue Squad and was a member of the American Legion Mason Dixon Post #194 in Rising Sun, Md. and the Horseshoe Hall of Fame in Virginia..

He was an avid baseball card and sports memorabilia collector and enjoyed golf, watching the Philadelphia Eagles, carving birds out of wood, and spending time with family and friends. Skip was known to all who knew him as the Great Blue Heron.  

He is survived by his wife, his two sons, Michael Weigel (Melissa) of New Castle, Del. and Greg Weigel of Oxford, two daughters, Deborah Gingrich of Newark, Del. and Tracey Polito (Joe) of Oxford, and eight grandchildren, Max Given, Blake Norcini, Jeff Gingrich, Brandon Chadwick, Brittany Chadwick, Jaxon McAdams, Zachery Polito and Carly Polito, and four great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a son, Richard Weigel.

Funeral services were held on Oct. 13 at the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford.

Interment with full military honors will be in Faggs Manor, Cochranville.

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

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

Ann Murphy Nale
Ann Murphy Nale, the beloved wife of Thomas W. Nale III for 68 years, passed away peacefully at the Preston Residence at Jenner's Pond in West Grove on Sept. 22, 2023. She was 96.

One of eight children, Ann was born on July 6, 1927 to Dorothy Sayre Murphy and Michael Jennings Murphy in Morgantown, West Virginia.   

Ann is survived by her husband, Tom Nale, sisters Ruth Mentzer of West Chester, PA, Jane Brunson of Marriotsville, MD, Mary Schafer of Summerfield, NC, and brother Joel Austin Murphy of Lewes, DE.  She was predeceased by brothers James Sydney Murphy and John Michael Murphy and sister Lucy Margaret Chapman.

Ann Graduated from Morgantown High School in West Virginia.  She received a bachelor's degree from West Virginia University, where she was Phi Beta Kappa, and a master's degree, also from West Virginia University.

On Dec. 31, 1954, Ann married Thomas W. Nale III, a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and later the Air National Guard. Tom was flying for the Air National Guard on Sept. 25, 1958 when the engine on his F86H plane failed and Tom was forced to crash land in a field near Dover, Del. He spent 2 1/2 years at the Naval Hospital in Philadelphia recovering from his injuries and Ann visited him every day except four days when her sister had a baby.

Ann taught social studies and history in Wilmington High School for 35 years. She was awarded Outstanding Teacher of the Year for several years.  Ann was active in politics after she retired. 

In 1964, Ann and Tom moved into an historic house in Kennett Township. The house was built in 1731 and added onto in 1798.  On their 5 1/4 acres, they raised five donkeys with names like Popcorn and Kernal Corn and they created a wildflower meadow. Ann and Tom enjoyed downhill skiing, sailing, power boating, and traveling in the U.S. and Canada in their 1940 and 1947 Lincoln Continentals.

Tom is grateful for the excellent care Ann was given by the team at the Preston Residence at Jenner's Pond for over a year and Brandywine Hospice for almost a year.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Sycamore Hill Church, 505 Schoolhouse Road in Hockessin, Del. on Saturday, Oct. 28.  Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. and the service will take place at 11 a.m.  Light refreshments will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, Tom requests that donations be made to the United Negro College Fund (uncf.org).

For online condolences and to share a memory with Ann's family and friends, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com.

John E. Steele
John E. “Jack” Steele, 95, of Oxford, passed away peacefully while at home on Oct. 6, 2023.

He was the husband of the late Violet E. McDowell Steele, with whom he shared 74 years of marriage. 

Born on Nov. 17, 1927 to the late Horace M. and E. Marian Steele. Jack grew up on a farm where he learned the value of hard work. He graduated from Oxford High School class of 1947, and in November of that year married his high school sweetheart, Violet McDowell. They lived in the house that he built for 75 years.

Jack was previously employed with The Oxford Cabinet Company until he decided he would rather be a mechanic than a cabinet painter, and went to work for S.G. Lewis and Sons until his retirement. He fixed many local farmers’ equipment, and he became well known as the man who could fix anything. 

Jack was a dedicated member of the Oxford United Methodist Church, where he served as a trustee, and helped with many special events held there. He had lifelong church friends and still looked forward every week to hearing recordings of the service.

He was a hero to his grandsons and set an amazing example for them of how to care for their families.   

He is survived by one son, John E. Steele, Jr. of Oxford, one daughter, Connie Slauch (and her husband, Peter) of Oxford, four grandsons, Scott Brown, Gary Brown, Win Slauch and Ross Slauch, six great-grandchildren, one sister, Betty Wilson of Quarryville, and one brother, Ralph Steele of Fla.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Stella Pierce. 

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on  Wednesday, Oct. 18 at the Oxford United Methodist Church, 18 Addison St., Oxford, where friends and family may visit from 10 to 11 a.m.

Interment will be in Oxford Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Oxford United Methodist Church, The Steeple Repair Fund.

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

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

Robin B. Odoom
Robin Brown Odoom, of Downingtown, went to be with the Lord on Aug. 31, 2023. Robin’s life left a significant impact on all she encountered. She will be remembered and cherished for her magnetisms – a laugh that could fill a room and a smile so wide you couldn’t help but smile too. Her family is saddened by her passing, yet comforted to know she has gone on to be with her Lord, savior, and best friend, Jesus in Heaven.

Robin was born on Dec. 10, 1966 at Jennersville Regional Hospital.  She was the beloved firstborn daughter of Reverend Frances Brown Lee of Oxford and Robert Kenneth Dorsey of Kennett Square. She was a graduate of Oxford Area High School, class of 1984. She received her bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) in 1988, and received her master’s degree in nursing (MSN) years later, both from the University of Delaware. During her collegiate years she was an active member of Kappa Omicron Tau Sorority. 

She worked as a pediatric nurse for over 30 years, touching the lives of many NICU babies and their families. She worked tirelessly for the care of children with varied health needs. She spent her early nursing career as a pediatric specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and later dedicated a number of years to pediatrics at Lankenau and A.I. DuPont hospitals. For several years, she was a nursing instructor at the Brandywine School of Nursing, fostering the next generation of nurses.  She also worked for many years at St. Edmond’s Home for Children as a supervisor and advocate for the health and care of children with advanced cognitive and physical disabilities. She was most recently employed by AmeriHealth Caritas as a pediatric nurse specialist for Health Insurance Review. She was known by all coworkers for being  patient,  a team-player, a meticulous worker, and a gentle teacher and helper. For Robin, pediatric nursing was a calling. She was dedicated to taking care of children, and passionate about advocating for their care. 

Robin was a loving mother to her daughter, Hannah Efua Odoom of Downingtown. Between them are many precious moments, closely held secrets, and reverberations of laughter. There was not a single day that the two did not speak. Though not the “loudest in the room,” Robin was known for her presence. No one listened quite as close, or remembered as many details shared in conversation. She is known for being a friend like no other, one you could count on for advice, a stroll down memory lane, or a good laugh.

Robin fought for over twenty years with myriad advanced health issues. While the battle was difficult and arduous, she never ceased to praise God for her blessing of life. She walked deeply in prayer with the Lord, knowing Him so close and dear as her best friend. 

Robin is survived by her father,  Robert Kenneth Dorsey of Kennett Square and RuthAnne Dorsey, her mother Reverend Frances Brown Lee of Oxford, daughter, Hannah Efua Odoom and tuxedo cat, Mr. Sylvester of Downingtown, Isaac Odoom, of Downingtown, brothers Raymond Brown of Oxford, Randy Brown of Lancaster, Robert Brown of Florida, Kenneth Dorsey of Coatesville, Gregory Dorsey of Coatesville, and sister, Phanta Davis of Wilmington. She is also survived by many aunts and uncles, nieces, nephews, and caring relatives.

A celebration of Robin’s life took place on Sept. 9 at Christ Community Fellowship in West Grove.

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