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Braun, Juergen H.
Juergen H. Braun died in his sleep on September 30, 2010 in Hockessin, Delaware. He was 82 years old.
Juergen was born in Hof, Germany in 1927, the son of a physician. In the early 1930s, he moved to Berlin with his family where he learned English and proved to be an avid student. After the outbreak of World War II, authorities removed him from school and assigned him to increasingly harsh work situations. When circumstances in Berlin and his Jewish heritage made it apparent that he was likely to face an unknown future, his father and his father's colleagues trained him as a medic. They reasoned that such skills would aid his own survival and give his life value greater than the strength of his back. In 1944, Juergen received orders to report to a forced labor brigade where he was deployed to repair bomb damage on runways after Allied attacks. The airbase where he was located was located on a main route for the Allies on their way to Berlin. In the heavy winter of 1944, he was assigned to work as a lumberjack on a forced labor crew in the Hartz Mountains.
In the confusion of the Allied advance, he was able to escape. After three days of hiding in the attic of a friendly inn keeper, he and another prisoner were able to await liberation by the Allies. Juergen's knowledge of English came to light when he helped American GIs break up a fight between refugees. In the months following liberation of the area, he worked as a translator for the Americans and then the British, eventually becoming a certified translator in support of court proceedings. Following this, he returned to Berlin to look for his parents. He found that they had survived the devastation of the city.
After the war, as Berlin was being rebuilt, he entered an accelerated program at the Berlin Polytechnic Institute where he earned the equivalent of a Masters degree in Chemistry. During this same time he and some friends from school also learned to sail small boats on a local lake, igniting a life-long love of sailing.
An American aid group helped him emigrate from Germany to the United States. Upon his arrival in New Orleans, his first experience in America, following the war's privation, was beignets and chicory coffee thus igniting another life-long passion.
In the 1950's, he attended the University of Texas in Austin where he earned his PhD in Chemistry. There he met and married Caroline Lucille Wilson, of Marlin, Texas while she was working on her Masters in Microbiology. He spent time on the back roads of Texas and Mexico; he especially loved the rugged beauty of Big Bend National Park.
Juergen and Caroline moved to Wilmington in 1955 when he joined DuPont as a research chemist. Throughout most of his career, Juergen was based at the Research Station on the Brandywine River where his pigments work focused on titanium dioxide. By the time of his retirement he had amassed more than a dozen patents. His work helped to make paint safer, more efficient and more resilient. In 1974 Juergen and Caroline's marriage ended. Near the end of his career at DuPont, he became an adjunct professor at North Dakota State University, a role he thoroughly enjoyed. After his formal retirement, Juergen continued in his career as a consultant for a variety of international companies, continued to write on technical topics related to pigments and the optics of pigments, and contributed a chapter to a textbook on pigment technology.
Juergen joined the North East River Yacht Club in 1965 where he was able to pass on his love of sailing to both his children and grandchildren. His son George, along with his family have continued this tradition as active members of the NERYC. Along with sailing Juergen and E-Bette Shidler, his companion of 32 years enjoyed worldwide travel as well as hiking with Wilmington Trail Club. After retiring they both attended and later taught at the University of Delaware's Academy of Lifelong Learning.
Juergen is survived by his companion, E-Bette Shidler, his son George with wife Suzanne Pasquale Braun of Hockessin, their daughters Lexi Pasquale of Georgia and Erica of Newark; his daughter Ellen with her partner Kim Guenther of Crozet, Virginia; and son Stephen with his wife Debra and their children Corey, Nina, and Stephanie with her husband Zac Didier of Atlanta, Georgia.
Services for Juergen will be private. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Cure Alzheimer's Fund, an organization that is targeting breakthrough research for Alzheimer Disease. www.curealzfund.org
Lester L. Kerstetter
After a short illness, Lester L. Kerstetter passed away on October 3rd, 2010, at his home surrounded by family. He was born in Sunbury, PA on August 25, 1942, but raised from his early teens in the Wilmington area.
Mr. Kerstetter enjoyed fishing, boating and baseball, but above all he loved the Philadelphia Phillies. He also had passion in coaching his two sons and other youth baseball players with the Newark National Little League and the Holy Angels catholic youth ministry for many years. Mr. Kerstetter's baseball teams were very competitive and successfully won many titles.
Mr. Kerstetter was retired from Hercules Inc. after a nearly 40 year career. He began his career at the Hercules Research Center and retired from the Traffic and Transportation Department in the Hercules international headquarters in downtown Wilmington, DE.
Mr. Kerstetter is survived by his loving wife Virgina Lee after 46 years of marriage; son Thomas and his wife Ann and their son Thomas Rogers all of Newark, DE; son Timothy and his wife Karen and their three sons Nolan, Benjamin and Samuel all of Magnolia, DE; sister Ann Twardus and her husband Stanley Robert of Rising Sun, MD; brother Roger and his wife Sue of Sicily Island, LA.
Memorial services will be held on Friday October 8th at 11:00 a.m at the Holy Angels Roman Catholic Church located at 82 Possum Park Road, Newark, DE. A private interment will follow at All Saints Cemetery on Kirkwood Highway.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Heartland Home Health and Hospice, 256 Chapman Road, Suite 102, Newark, DE 19702.
Helen Rybienski O'Brien
Age 79, of Centerville, DE, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Sunday morning, October 3, 2010. Helen was born in Wilmington, the daughter of the late Thomas Rybienski and the late Ethel Mikolaczyk Rybienski Maucher. In 1950 she married her late husband, William E. O'Brien.
Helen founded Helmark Steel, Inc. (Helen's Mark) in 1969, fulfilling her desire to expand and vertically integrate Falcon Steel, the business that she and Bill started in 1965. Over the next 45 years, Bill and Helen grew their companies to be among the most respected fabricators and erectors of structural steel on the East coast. Among the more notable projects in the Helmark/Falcon joint portfolio are Chase Manhattan, the Hercules Building and the Bracebridge Projects in Wilmington; the Kimmel Performing Arts Center, the Bell Atlantic Tower, and the Liberty II Tower in Philadelphia; 7 World Trade Center, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Jet Blue Airlines Terminal in New York. Helen was still active at Helmark Steel at the time of her passing.
In addition to her company and its employees, Helen was committed to charitable causes and was an avid supporter of many groups, including Emmanuel Dining Room, Sunday Breakfast Mission, Adopt-a-Family, Military Family and the Delaware Humane Society.
Helen was also very fond of travelling and she and Bill frequently traveled abroad. Trips to London, Paris and Rome were regular events. She also enjoyed fine dining, fine arts and fashion.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, with whom she shared almost 60 years of marriage, as well as her brother, Edward Fisher. She is survived by her son, John E. O'Brien and his fiancée, Dawn Prendergast; grandchildren, Liam and Maura O'Brien; brothers, Stanley W. Rybienski and his wife Louise, and Francis Maucher and his wife Brenda; and a sister, Margaret Szewczyk, as well as her beloved dogs, Bruce and Blondie.
She was a model example of the success that can be achieved by women in industry as a result of her hard work, drive and determination. The continued success of the companies she founded and the desire to succeed she inspired in others will be her lasting legacy in business. In life she will be remembered as a loving and generous wife, mother, grandmother and sister. Helen will be truly missed by all who knew her.
Friends may call at Mealey Funeral Home on Friday, October 8th between 3 and 5. Services will follow at 5 PM Friday.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Delaware Hospice, Inc., 3515 Silverside Road, Wilmington, DE 19810 of to Delaware Humane Society, 701 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801.
Sylvia Bailey Williamson
Of Lincoln, passed away Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at the Delaware Hospice Center in Milford. She was 98.
Mrs. Williamson was born on July 1, 1912 in Lincoln, daughter of the late Walter and Elizabeth (Blair) Bailey.
She was employed as a teller with Wilmington Trust Company in Milford for 25 years retiring in 1977.
She enjoyed refinishing and collecting antiques. Sylvia especially loved animals and over the years had many cats and dogs. Her last dog, Boy, was with her 18 years.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Norman Williamson.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Daniel Dohring of Lincoln; a brother, Oscar Bailey of Georgetown; a sister, Bessy Christopher of Seaford; a granddaughter, Deb Ormsby of Petersburg, PA; a grandson, Dan Dohring of Pot Nets; two great grandchildren and four great- great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at Rogers Funeral Home, 301 Lakeview Ave, Milford, where friends may call one hour prior.
Burial will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial contributions to Delaware Hospice, 100 Patriots Way, Milford, DE, 19963.
Martin, Glenn L.
Army
Glenn L. Martin of Hartly passed away Sunday, October 3, 2010 in his home surrounded by his loving family. He was 65.
He was born on August 9, 1945 in Baltimore, Maryland, son of the late Narcissus and Elizabeth (Hamilton) Martin.
Glenn served his country proudly in the U.S. Army serving during Vietnam.
Through his gospel group, he raised money for St. Jude's Research Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity during Hurricane Katrina.
He enjoyed hunting, fishing, woodcarving, playing the guitar and loved music.
He is also preceded in death by a sister Connie Franic and a brother Ronnie Martin.
Glenn is survived by his loving wife Nancy (Weiss) Martin, two daughters Brittany Martin of Hartly, and Laura Martin of Newark, NJ, two sons Christopher Martin of Felton and Glenn L. Martin II of Marydel, grandchildren Eddie, Travis, Brooke, Angel, Heather, Christy, Destiny, Joshua, Amanda and Kayla, a brother Roger Wayne Martin of WV, a sister Linda Beach of Dover and step-father Vincent Aiello of Felton.
Service will be 8 pm Thursday, October 7, 2010 at the Compassion Assembly Hall/Holy Spirit Mission, 3155 Hourglass Rd., Hartly where friends may gather two hours earlier.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to St. Jude's Children Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105.
Arrangements are by Pippin Funeral Home, Wyoming.
