Obituary for Esther F Kenney (Foskey)
Esther F. Kenney passed away peacefully at Wilmington Hospital on Monday, December 10, 2018, at the age of 98. A resident of Wilmington since 1938, she had been living at the Kentmere Health Care Center since May 2015.
Born in Whitesville, Sussex County, Delaware, on March 8, 1920, to the late Raymond and Edna Foskey, she grew up in Laurel, Delaware. After graduating from Laurel High School in 1938, she moved to Wilmington to attend Beacom College where she earned an associate degree in secretarial studies. She was wed to Daniel L. Kenney on September 12, 1942, and they remained happily married until his death in July 1976.
In her working life, she was both a fine homemaker and a consummate office secretary, in which position she served the DuPont Company's Wilmington Shops for 31 years, retiring in 1981. Besides enjoying family gatherings and rooting for the Philadelphia Phillies, her favorite leisure activities were reading, doing word puzzles, and watching TV game shows, and she was a continually active member of a neighborhood ladies' card club for more than 50 years.
Esther was a member of the Peninsula-McCabe United Methodist Church (UMC) in Wilmington for most of her adult life, actively participating in the church's worship and service programs at both the local and national levels. She served as treasurer of United Methodist Women for a number of years. Her family regarded her faithful but humble devotion as an outstanding example of good Christian living.
Besides her parents and her husband, Esther was predeceased by her daughter Jean and son-in-law Frank Stilwell, of Woodstock, Georgia, in 2010, and her brothers Clifton (Ruth) Foskey of Bridgeville, Delaware, and Howard (Isabel) and Raymond (Hazel) Foskey of Laurel.
She is survived by her sister Kay (James) Crouse, of Salisbury, Maryland; her sons Gerald (Gina), of Wilmington, and Richard, of Reston, Virginia; her daughter Linda Pettyjohn, of Wilmington; her sister-in-law Estelle Kenney, of Newark, Delaware; her grandchildren Joanne Shaver, Patrick Kenney, Beth Low, Shannon Woodard, Caroline Kenney, Kelly Healy, Scott Stilwell, Daniel Kenney, Andrew Stilwell, and Jamie Pettyjohn; and twelve great grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Esther Kenney will be held on Monday, December 17, 2018, at Peninsula-McCabe UMC, 2200 Baynard Blvd., Wilmington. Visitation will begin at 9:30 am and the service will follow at 11:00 a.m. After the service, she will be interred beside her husband Daniel at All Saints Cemetery, 6001 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages memorial donations to the Kentmere Employees Fund at the Kentmere Center, 1900 Lovering Ave., Wilmington, DE 19806, or to a charity of one's choice. Esther's family is very grateful to the staff at Kentmere for the excellent care they gave her while she was a resident. Special thanks go to Bibi for her extraordinary attention to Esther's well-being.
Born in Whitesville, Sussex County, Delaware, on March 8, 1920, to the late Raymond and Edna Foskey, she grew up in Laurel, Delaware. After graduating from Laurel High School in 1938, she moved to Wilmington to attend Beacom College where she earned an associate degree in secretarial studies. She was wed to Daniel L. Kenney on September 12, 1942, and they remained happily married until his death in July 1976.
In her working life, she was both a fine homemaker and a consummate office secretary, in which position she served the DuPont Company's Wilmington Shops for 31 years, retiring in 1981. Besides enjoying family gatherings and rooting for the Philadelphia Phillies, her favorite leisure activities were reading, doing word puzzles, and watching TV game shows, and she was a continually active member of a neighborhood ladies' card club for more than 50 years.
Esther was a member of the Peninsula-McCabe United Methodist Church (UMC) in Wilmington for most of her adult life, actively participating in the church's worship and service programs at both the local and national levels. She served as treasurer of United Methodist Women for a number of years. Her family regarded her faithful but humble devotion as an outstanding example of good Christian living.
Besides her parents and her husband, Esther was predeceased by her daughter Jean and son-in-law Frank Stilwell, of Woodstock, Georgia, in 2010, and her brothers Clifton (Ruth) Foskey of Bridgeville, Delaware, and Howard (Isabel) and Raymond (Hazel) Foskey of Laurel.
She is survived by her sister Kay (James) Crouse, of Salisbury, Maryland; her sons Gerald (Gina), of Wilmington, and Richard, of Reston, Virginia; her daughter Linda Pettyjohn, of Wilmington; her sister-in-law Estelle Kenney, of Newark, Delaware; her grandchildren Joanne Shaver, Patrick Kenney, Beth Low, Shannon Woodard, Caroline Kenney, Kelly Healy, Scott Stilwell, Daniel Kenney, Andrew Stilwell, and Jamie Pettyjohn; and twelve great grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services for Esther Kenney will be held on Monday, December 17, 2018, at Peninsula-McCabe UMC, 2200 Baynard Blvd., Wilmington. Visitation will begin at 9:30 am and the service will follow at 11:00 a.m. After the service, she will be interred beside her husband Daniel at All Saints Cemetery, 6001 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages memorial donations to the Kentmere Employees Fund at the Kentmere Center, 1900 Lovering Ave., Wilmington, DE 19806, or to a charity of one's choice. Esther's family is very grateful to the staff at Kentmere for the excellent care they gave her while she was a resident. Special thanks go to Bibi for her extraordinary attention to Esther's well-being.