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Evangelist Frances Harriet Major-Miller, 71
NEPTUNE, N.J. - Evangelist Frances Harriet Major-Miller of Neptune died Friday, March 16, 2001, in the Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune. She was 71.
Mrs. Miller was born in Roberts, Md., and was a resident there for 68 years.
She attended the Monmouth County Catholic school system. She also graduated from the Bible Institute, Farmingdale.
She was employed with the Costanzo and Gatta families as a governess for many years. Later in her years, she was employed at PVC Plastic Company, Eatontown.
Mrs. Miller was the pianist, a missionary and minister at the Little Jerusalem Pentecostal Church; the Rev. William Sesser was her devoted pastor and leader.
She met and married the Rev. Felton Miller in January 1994. After her marriage to the Rev. Miller, she became first lady and secretary of Shiloh United Holy Church Inc.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Noble L. Major in January 1987; three brothers; and two sisters.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by a son, Bryan Wright of Fredricksburg, Va.; several godchildren of New York City; three stepsons, Hezron, Joshua and Nathan, all of Trenton; a stepdaughter, Mary Goodwyn of Morrisville, Pa.; a granddaughter; 14 step-grandchildren; 12 step-great-grandchildren; three sisters, Daisy Brown of Wilmington, Del., Doris Rochester of Church Hill, Md., and Mamie O. Tucker of Paulsboro; two foster sisters, Frances Brown of Pondtown, Md., and Diane Rochester of Philadelphia; an uncle, Robert Rochester of Philadelphia; two aunts, Edna Wilson and Helena Saunders, both of Wilmington; a daughter-in-law, Debra Wright of Fredricksburg; nine brothers-in-law; three sisters-in-law; a cousin and his wife, Arnold and Susan Taylor of Neptune; and a host of nieces, nephews, other cousins and friends.
A service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Mount Pisgah Baptist Temple, 1301 Springwood Ave., Asbury Park, where friends may call three hours prior to the ceremony. The Bishop Kenneth O. Robinson will officiate.
Burial will be in Monmouth Memorial Park, Tinton Falls.
Arrangement by the James H. Hunt Funeral Home, Asbury Park.
Alice Mae Anderson Martin, 73
REHOBOTH BEACH - Alice Mae Anderson Martin of Rehoboth Beach died Wednesday, March 21, 2001, in Beebe Medical Center, Lewes. She was 73.
Mrs. Martin was born July 25, 1927, the daughter of the late Robert and Fannie Kelley Phillips of Harborton, Va.
She later moved to Rehoboth Beach, where she had been employed at the Rehoboth Day Care Center.
Mrs. Martin did community service with the West Rehoboth New Beginning Program.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Isiah Martin.
She is survived by two sons, Roy Walter of Dagsboro, and Larry Anderson of Charlotte, N.C.; three daughters, Gloria Fields of Rehoboth Beach, Mary Alice Brown of Miami, Shirley A. Brown of Charlotte; two sisters, Rinthia Carter of Philadelphia and Clarese Green of Augusta, Ga.; a brother, James T. Doughty of Philadelphia; 14 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
A service will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church, Rehoboth Beach, where friends may call two hours prior to the ceremony. The Rev. Timothy A. Duffield officiate.
Homer L. Massie Sr., 74
CAMDEN - Homer L. Massie Sr. of Camden died Wednesday, March 21, 2001, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover. He was 74.
Mr. Massie was born in Tams, W.Va., and resided in Delaware for many years.
He entered the service in 1945, serving in the Air Force for 32 years. He retired in 1977 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Violet Massie, in 1989.
He is survived by his wife of six years, Thelma Massie of Camden; three sons and daughters-in-law, Homer and Darlene Massie Jr. of Clayton, Randy and Linda Massie of Elkton, Md., and Guy and Sandy Massie of Clayton; three daughters, Gail Cannon of Smyrna, Pamela Cleck and her husband, Edward, of Hampton, Va., and Tamie Holden of Dover; 11 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Matthews-Bryson Funeral Home, 123 W. Commerce St., Smyrna.
A service will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Burial with military honors will be held at 11 a.m. Monday in the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Delaware Hospice Inc., 911 S. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901.
Thomas J. McMurray, 80
FELTON - Thomas J. McMurray of Felton and Oceanport, N.J., died Thursday, March 22, 2001, in his home, surrounded by his family. He was 80.
Mr. McMurray was born in Staten Island, N.Y., in 1920, the son of the late Elsie U. Russell and Thomas J. McMurray.
He graduated from the Kearny Middle School and was fifth in his class at Perkiomen Preparatory School, Pennsburg, Pa., in 1938. He earned his varsity letter as the football manager. He was selected as an alternate to the U.S. Navel Academy, Annapolis, Md. He also attended the Aero Industrial Technical Institute, Los Angeles, and the Capitol Radio and Engineering Institute, Washington, D.C.
Prior to entering the military, he was employed by Hughes Aircraft Co. as a junior designer for the production engineering group.
He served during World War II as a pilot and flight instructor in the U.S. Army Air Corps, achieving the rank of 1st lieutenant, flying the P-17, P-40, P-51, Mustang, AT-6 Texan, P-47D and the BT-13. He ended his military career in 1957 as a captain in the New Jersey Air National Guard, flying the F-86F Sabre jet.
Mr. McMurray was a senior designer for the Department of the Army, Fort Monmouth, N.J.; the Electronic Associates Inc., Long Branch, N.J.; General Electric, Syracuse, N.Y., where he was a contract design engineer; Atlantic Design Co., Newark, N.J.; Computer Products Inc., Farmingdale, N.J.; and Westinghouse Aerospace, Baltimore. He retired from Allied Bendix Aerospace, Eatontown, N.J., in 1987.
His favorite pastimes and hobbies were flying light aircraft towing banners, building aircraft and boats, sailing, snow skiing, woodworking, building and flying remote control aircraft, electronic hobbies including personal computers, and being with his five grandchildren.
Mr. McMurray was a member of various organizations including the Jersey Aero Club, the Experimental Aircraft Association, the Kent County Aeromodelers, the Moxley Abacus Masonic Lodge 78 A.F.&A.M., and the motor corps of the Salaam Shrine AAOAMS, Livingston, N.J.
He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Carolyn A (Nanny) McMurray; two daughters, Lynne M. Herman of Felton and Sandra S. McMurray of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; two sons, C. Breck Campbell of Jeffersonville, Pa., and Craig and daughter-in-law, Jill P. Campbell of Wall, N.J.; five grandchildren, Heather L., Thomas A. and Jessica L. Campbell, and Christopher S., and Matthew L. Herman; a half-brother, James McMurray; and a half-sister, Virginia Pellegrino.
A celebration of life service will be held at the convenience of the family.
The family suggests contributions to Delaware Hospice, 911 S. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901.
Arrangements by Faries Funeral Directors, Dover.
Mary Ann Paynter, 63
CLAYMONT - Mary Ann Paynter of Claymont, a former resident of Grassy Sound, N.J., died Tuesday, March 20, 2001, in Victoria Manor Nursing Center, North Cape May, N.J. She was 63.
Ms. Paynter was born in North Wildwood, N.J., and raised in that area, having graduated from Middle Township High School. She earned her master's degree from Montclair (N.J.) State College.
She taught home economics at Lower Cape May (N.J.) Regional High School; she received her doctorate from Penn State University; she taught at the University of Kentucky at Lexington, North Dakota State University and the University of Illinois at Champlain. She was an extension home economics agent and family educator at Delaware State University, from which she retired in 1998.
Ms. Paynter was a lifelong member of United Methodist Church, North Wildwood; she was active in FHA community, senior education and church affairs.
She is survived by a sister, Doris Letts, and her husband, Edward, of Rio Grande, N.J.; a brother, Joseph W. Paynter, and his wife, Elma Lou, of Tuckahoe, N.J.; five nephews, Edward J. Letts, and his wife, Celine, of Rio Grande, Joseph W. Letts of Massachusetts, Joseph W. Paynter of Tuckahoe, Thomas W. Paynter of Millville and Jack Paynter of Tuckahoe; three nieces, Linda M. Pope of Rio Grande, Elma L. Creamer of Tuckahoe and Mary Joe Grundlock of Swainton, N.J.; a great nephew, Edward A. Letts of Rio Grande; and three cousins, Colleen Denny, Harry Brady and his wife, Alice, all of Maryland, and Mary A. Hoffman of Illinois.
Service will be private.
Arrangements by Radzieta Funeral Home, Cape May Court House, N.J.
The family suggests memorial contributions to Montclair State College, Montclair, NJ 07242.
Amanda Thomas Prattis, 86
FELTON - Amanda Thomas Prattis, a longtime resident of Felton, died after a long illness Monday, March 19, 2001, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover. She was 86.
Mrs. Prattis was born Jan. 15, 1915, in Wyoming. She was one of 10 children.
She and her husband, Daniel Prattis, lived in the Felton area for many years, where she resided until the time of her death.
She was a homemaker. She retired from the poultry industry in Harbeson in 1984.
She was very active in her community. She was involved in activities at the Harrington Senior Center prior to her illness.
Mrs. Prattis enjoyed good gospel music and singing. She was a quiet, loving and gentle person who was like a mother and sister to many of the women in her congregation. She was a very zealous, outgoing and happy person who loved God. She was so spry, at age 69, she participated in a 10-mile walk-a-thon fund-raiser.
Mrs. Prattis became a faithful member of Kent Christian Center's First United Pentecostal Church, Dover, in 1983, where she served as a member of the Women's Department and Seniors Group. She was invited to church by a very dear friend of hers, Mildred Pettyjohn. During her first visit, she received the wonderful gift of the Holy Ghost and was baptized in Jesus' name by the Rev. Wayne Trout.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband in 1984.
She is survived by her brother-in-law, Harvey Lewis of Felton, who cared for her during her illness; her first cousin, Rachel Benson of Harrington; three nieces, Sheila Lewis and Marie Benson of Wilmington,, and Camille Benson of Felton; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends; and her church family of Kent Christian Center.
A service will be 11:30 a.m. Monday at Bennie Smith Funeral Home, Dover, where friends may call one hour prior to the ceremony.
Burial will be in Sharon Hills Memorial Park, Dover.
Paul A. Watson, 53
MILFORD - Paul A Watson of Milford died Thursday, March 22, 2001, in Bayhealth-Milford Memorial Hospital. He was 53.
Mr. Watson graduated from Milford High School in 1965 and was a 1970 graduate of the University of Delaware.
He joined the National Guard in 1972.
He worked as a heavy-equipment operator for AP Croll and Son Inc., Georgetown. He was a supervisor at the Stevenson House, Milford, for 16 years from 1974 to 1990 and also owned and operated Watson's Country Store, Argos Corner, from 1984 to 1991.
Mr. Watson enjoyed hunting and fishing in the Delaware Bay and crabbing in the Mispillion River and at Cedar Creek, Milford.
He was preceded in death by his father, Samuel Earl Watson, in 1991.
He is survived by his mother, Daisy B. Watson of Milford; his son, Samuel P. Watson, of Ellendale; two daughters, Rachel Watson of Milford and Jennifer Rogers and her husband, Troy, of Georgetown; two stepsons, Charlie Short and his wife, Karen, of Lewes and John Watson and his wife, Heather, of Milford; two sisters, Diane M. Argo and Carolyn A. Donovan, both of Milford; a brother, Richard E. Watson of Milford; and five grandchildren, Miranda, Mariah, A.J., Tyler and Megan.
A service will be 2 p.m. Sunday at the Lofland Funeral Home, 102 Lakeview Ave., Milford, where friends may call two hours prior to ceremony.
Burial will be in Odd Fellows Cemetery, Milford.
