William H. "Bill" "Willie" Crain, 75, of Townsend, DE passed away on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at Christiana Hospital in Newark, DE.
Born in Charlestown, WV on November 22, 1933, he was the son of the late Joseph William and Diane (Boyce) Crain.
At the age of 18, Bill enlisted in the Delaware National Guard. Following 20 years of dedicated service, he retired on July 19, 1970 at the rank of Master Sergeant. During his tenure with the Delaware National Guard, he was assigned to the duties of Platoon Sergeant of Battery C, 197th A.A.A., A.W. Battalion, under the command of Lt. David M. Salter. In 1979, Bill retired from Daimler Chrysler Corporation in Newark, DE where he worked for 27 years. He was a member of the United Auto Works Local 1183 and served on the executive board for 12 years. He was chief steward for four terms and served as Vice President of U.A.W. Local 1183 Retired Workers Chapter.
Bill enjoyed playing shuffle board at Bob's Place in Warwick, MD, where his team won the state championship three consecutive years in a row. He played baseball with manager Jack Green and Melvin Craig, and later played and pitched for manager, Gordon Clark under the sponsorship of Keck's Sporting Goods Store. Later the team was transferred to Dover Downs where they won the state championship in 1965 and held that title for four consecutive years.
He was a member of the Middletown Jaycees, where he served as Vice President in 1954; a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge No. 1295 in Middletown, DE since 1961; and was a lifetime honorary member of Townsend Volunteer Fire Company in Townsend, DE.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Crain was preceded in death by a daughter, Judy L. Crain,; a son, William A. Crain; six brothers, Wesley, Wadie, Wiley, John, Bobby and Larry Crain.
Mr. Crain is survived by his wife of 30 years, Oleda; three children, Loretta Kim Dugan of Townsend, DE, Cynthia Boyles and her husband, Mark, and John J. Crain and his wife, Dana, all of Russellville, AL; two step-children, Brenda J. Murray and her husband, Gordon, of Townsend, DE and Gary L. Vinson of Newark, DE; a daughter-in-law, Doris Crain of New Castle, DE; nine grandchildren, five step-grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one sister, Shirley Gregson and her husband, Joe, of Elkton, MD; a brother, Vic and his wife, Mary, of Elkton, MD; and a sister-in-law, Lorraine Crain of Elk Mills, MD.
Funeral services will be held 2 pm on Monday, December 8, 2008 at Daniels & Hutchison Funeral Home LLC, 212 N. Broad Street, Middletown, DE where family and friends may visit two hours prior to services. Interment with military honors will follow in Townsend Cemetery, Townsend, DE.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Delaware National Guard Emergency Assistance Fund and mailed to Delaware National Guard Headquarters, First Regiment Road, Wilmington, DE 19808, attention Kirsten Fitzgerald.
Born in Charlestown, WV on November 22, 1933, he was the son of the late Joseph William and Diane (Boyce) Crain.
At the age of 18, Bill enlisted in the Delaware National Guard. Following 20 years of dedicated service, he retired on July 19, 1970 at the rank of Master Sergeant. During his tenure with the Delaware National Guard, he was assigned to the duties of Platoon Sergeant of Battery C, 197th A.A.A., A.W. Battalion, under the command of Lt. David M. Salter. In 1979, Bill retired from Daimler Chrysler Corporation in Newark, DE where he worked for 27 years. He was a member of the United Auto Works Local 1183 and served on the executive board for 12 years. He was chief steward for four terms and served as Vice President of U.A.W. Local 1183 Retired Workers Chapter.
Bill enjoyed playing shuffle board at Bob's Place in Warwick, MD, where his team won the state championship three consecutive years in a row. He played baseball with manager Jack Green and Melvin Craig, and later played and pitched for manager, Gordon Clark under the sponsorship of Keck's Sporting Goods Store. Later the team was transferred to Dover Downs where they won the state championship in 1965 and held that title for four consecutive years.
He was a member of the Middletown Jaycees, where he served as Vice President in 1954; a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge No. 1295 in Middletown, DE since 1961; and was a lifetime honorary member of Townsend Volunteer Fire Company in Townsend, DE.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Crain was preceded in death by a daughter, Judy L. Crain,; a son, William A. Crain; six brothers, Wesley, Wadie, Wiley, John, Bobby and Larry Crain.
Mr. Crain is survived by his wife of 30 years, Oleda; three children, Loretta Kim Dugan of Townsend, DE, Cynthia Boyles and her husband, Mark, and John J. Crain and his wife, Dana, all of Russellville, AL; two step-children, Brenda J. Murray and her husband, Gordon, of Townsend, DE and Gary L. Vinson of Newark, DE; a daughter-in-law, Doris Crain of New Castle, DE; nine grandchildren, five step-grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one sister, Shirley Gregson and her husband, Joe, of Elkton, MD; a brother, Vic and his wife, Mary, of Elkton, MD; and a sister-in-law, Lorraine Crain of Elk Mills, MD.
Funeral services will be held 2 pm on Monday, December 8, 2008 at Daniels & Hutchison Funeral Home LLC, 212 N. Broad Street, Middletown, DE where family and friends may visit two hours prior to services. Interment with military honors will follow in Townsend Cemetery, Townsend, DE.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Delaware National Guard Emergency Assistance Fund and mailed to Delaware National Guard Headquarters, First Regiment Road, Wilmington, DE 19808, attention Kirsten Fitzgerald.
William H. "Bill" "Willie" Crain, 75, of Townsend, DE passed away on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at Christiana Hospital in Newark, DE.
Born in Charlestown, WV on November 22, 1933, he was the son of the late Joseph William and Diane (Boyce) Crain.
At the age of 18, Bill enlisted in the Delaware National Guard. Following 20 years of dedicated service, he retired on July 19, 1970 at the rank of Master Sergeant. During his tenure with the Delaware National Guard, he was assigned to the duties of Platoon Sergeant of Battery C, 197th A.A.A., A.W. Battalion, under the command of Lt. David M. Salter. In 1979, Bill retired from Daimler Chrysler Corporation in Newark, DE where he worked for 27 years. He was a member of the United Auto Works Local 1183 and served on the executive board for 12 years. He was chief steward for four terms and served as Vice President of U.A.W. Local 1183 Retired Workers Chapter.
Bill enjoyed playing shuffle board at Bob's Place in Warwick, MD, where his team won the state championship three consecutive years in a row. He played baseball with manager Jack Green and Melvin Craig, and later played and pitched for manager, Gordon Clark under the sponsorship of Keck's Sporting Goods Store. Later the team was transferred to Dover Downs where they won the state championship in 1965 and held that title for four consecutive years.
He was a member of the Middletown Jaycees, where he served as Vice President in 1954; a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge No. 1295 in Middletown, DE since 1961; and was a lifetime honorary member of Townsend Volunteer Fire Company in Townsend, DE.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Crain was preceded in death by a daughter, Judy L. Crain,; a son, William A. Crain; six brothers, Wesley, Wadie, Wiley, John, Bobby and Larry Crain.
Mr. Crain is survived by his wife of 30 years, Oleda; three children, Loretta Kim Dugan of Townsend, DE, Cynthia Boyles and her husband, Mark, and John J. Crain and his wife, Dana, all of Russellville, AL; two step-children, Brenda J. Murray and her husband, Gordon, of Townsend, DE and Gary L. Vinson of Newark, DE; a daughter-in-law, Doris Crain of New Castle, DE; nine grandchildren, five step-grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one sister, Shirley Gregson and her husband, Joe, of Elkton, MD; a brother, Vic and his wife, Mary, of Elkton, MD; and a sister-in-law, Lorraine Crain of Elk Mills, MD.
Funeral services will be held 2 pm on Monday, December 8, 2008 at Daniels & Hutchison Funeral Home LLC, 212 N. Broad Street, Middletown, DE where family and friends may visit two hours prior to services. Interment with military honors will follow in Townsend Cemetery, Townsend, DE.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Delaware National Guard Emergency Assistance Fund and mailed to Delaware National Guard Headquarters, First Regiment Road, Wilmington, DE 19808, attention Kirsten Fitzgerald.
Born in Charlestown, WV on November 22, 1933, he was the son of the late Joseph William and Diane (Boyce) Crain.
At the age of 18, Bill enlisted in the Delaware National Guard. Following 20 years of dedicated service, he retired on July 19, 1970 at the rank of Master Sergeant. During his tenure with the Delaware National Guard, he was assigned to the duties of Platoon Sergeant of Battery C, 197th A.A.A., A.W. Battalion, under the command of Lt. David M. Salter. In 1979, Bill retired from Daimler Chrysler Corporation in Newark, DE where he worked for 27 years. He was a member of the United Auto Works Local 1183 and served on the executive board for 12 years. He was chief steward for four terms and served as Vice President of U.A.W. Local 1183 Retired Workers Chapter.
Bill enjoyed playing shuffle board at Bob's Place in Warwick, MD, where his team won the state championship three consecutive years in a row. He played baseball with manager Jack Green and Melvin Craig, and later played and pitched for manager, Gordon Clark under the sponsorship of Keck's Sporting Goods Store. Later the team was transferred to Dover Downs where they won the state championship in 1965 and held that title for four consecutive years.
He was a member of the Middletown Jaycees, where he served as Vice President in 1954; a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge No. 1295 in Middletown, DE since 1961; and was a lifetime honorary member of Townsend Volunteer Fire Company in Townsend, DE.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Crain was preceded in death by a daughter, Judy L. Crain,; a son, William A. Crain; six brothers, Wesley, Wadie, Wiley, John, Bobby and Larry Crain.
Mr. Crain is survived by his wife of 30 years, Oleda; three children, Loretta Kim Dugan of Townsend, DE, Cynthia Boyles and her husband, Mark, and John J. Crain and his wife, Dana, all of Russellville, AL; two step-children, Brenda J. Murray and her husband, Gordon, of Townsend, DE and Gary L. Vinson of Newark, DE; a daughter-in-law, Doris Crain of New Castle, DE; nine grandchildren, five step-grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; one sister, Shirley Gregson and her husband, Joe, of Elkton, MD; a brother, Vic and his wife, Mary, of Elkton, MD; and a sister-in-law, Lorraine Crain of Elk Mills, MD.
Funeral services will be held 2 pm on Monday, December 8, 2008 at Daniels & Hutchison Funeral Home LLC, 212 N. Broad Street, Middletown, DE where family and friends may visit two hours prior to services. Interment with military honors will follow in Townsend Cemetery, Townsend, DE.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Delaware National Guard Emergency Assistance Fund and mailed to Delaware National Guard Headquarters, First Regiment Road, Wilmington, DE 19808, attention Kirsten Fitzgerald.
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