Obituary for John J. "Jack" Hemphill
John "Jack" Hemphill, 86, died peacefully on Thursday April 25, 2019.
Jack graduated from Archmere Academy in 1951 and received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from University of Delaware, where he studied bacteriology. He served in the U.S. Army as a Sgt. 2nd Class in the medical corps and was stationed at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC.
Jack married his wife, the former Eileen Quinn, in 1956, and they were happily married until her passing in 2012. Jack worked for the Upjohn Company for over 35 years, where he won multiple pharmaceutical sales awards. Through his work, he gained many friends in the tri-state region.
Jack loved to travel and enjoyed many vacations with Eileen, friends, and family. He was no stranger to the golf course as a member of Chantilly Manor and Cavalier's Country Clubs, and he enjoyed visiting courses throughout the world. The pinnacle of his golfing career was winning the prestigious "Hoody Open" golf tournament with his brother-in-law Leonard Quill, James Szymanski, and Joe Norton in 1994 and again in 2004. Jack was an excellent cook and loved sharing his famous crab cakes, vegetable soup, and Irish soda bread with anyone he thought needed it.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Elizabeth Hemphill, and his siblings Marie, Bill Jr., and Joe.
Jack was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. He is survived by his daughters, Sheila Miller and her husband, Michael, of Wilmington, Eileen Riddell and her husband, Geoff, of Hong Kong; his sons, John J. Jr. and his wife, Traci, of Newark, and Matt and his wife, Liz, of Scranton, PA. "Pop-pop" is also survived by his grandchildren, Nora Wolford and her husband, Bob, Bridget Reiser and her husband, Steve, Jennifer Riddell, Michael, Nicole and Ashlynn Hemphill, and Maggie, Quinn, and Tricia Hemphill; and his great-grandson, Andrew Wolford. He was loved by his many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Beloved R.C. Church, 907 Milltown Road, Wilmington, on Friday, May 3, at 12:30 pm. A viewing will take place at Krienen-Griffith Funeral Home, 1400 Kirkwood Highway, Elsmere on Thursday, May 2, from 6:00-8:00 pm. Interment will be in St. Joseph on the Brandywine Cemetery, Greenville.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Benedictine School for Exceptional Children, 14299 Benedictine Lane, Ridgely, MD 21660.
Krienen-Griffith Funeral Home
302.994.9614
Jack graduated from Archmere Academy in 1951 and received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees from University of Delaware, where he studied bacteriology. He served in the U.S. Army as a Sgt. 2nd Class in the medical corps and was stationed at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC.
Jack married his wife, the former Eileen Quinn, in 1956, and they were happily married until her passing in 2012. Jack worked for the Upjohn Company for over 35 years, where he won multiple pharmaceutical sales awards. Through his work, he gained many friends in the tri-state region.
Jack loved to travel and enjoyed many vacations with Eileen, friends, and family. He was no stranger to the golf course as a member of Chantilly Manor and Cavalier's Country Clubs, and he enjoyed visiting courses throughout the world. The pinnacle of his golfing career was winning the prestigious "Hoody Open" golf tournament with his brother-in-law Leonard Quill, James Szymanski, and Joe Norton in 1994 and again in 2004. Jack was an excellent cook and loved sharing his famous crab cakes, vegetable soup, and Irish soda bread with anyone he thought needed it.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Elizabeth Hemphill, and his siblings Marie, Bill Jr., and Joe.
Jack was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle. He is survived by his daughters, Sheila Miller and her husband, Michael, of Wilmington, Eileen Riddell and her husband, Geoff, of Hong Kong; his sons, John J. Jr. and his wife, Traci, of Newark, and Matt and his wife, Liz, of Scranton, PA. "Pop-pop" is also survived by his grandchildren, Nora Wolford and her husband, Bob, Bridget Reiser and her husband, Steve, Jennifer Riddell, Michael, Nicole and Ashlynn Hemphill, and Maggie, Quinn, and Tricia Hemphill; and his great-grandson, Andrew Wolford. He was loved by his many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Beloved R.C. Church, 907 Milltown Road, Wilmington, on Friday, May 3, at 12:30 pm. A viewing will take place at Krienen-Griffith Funeral Home, 1400 Kirkwood Highway, Elsmere on Thursday, May 2, from 6:00-8:00 pm. Interment will be in St. Joseph on the Brandywine Cemetery, Greenville.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Benedictine School for Exceptional Children, 14299 Benedictine Lane, Ridgely, MD 21660.
Krienen-Griffith Funeral Home
302.994.9614