Mildred Millie" Mae VanSice

1929 - 2019

Mildred Millie" Mae Van Sice

Wilmington, DE - Mildred "Millie" Mae (Carter) Van Sice, 90 of Wilmington, DE passed away peacefully on June 9, 2019. Millie was born on March 26, 1929 in Wilmington, Delaware to Horace J. and Ella Reed Carter. She graduated from Wilmington High School in 1946 and then enrolled at the University of Delaware. She graduated from the University of Delaware in 1949 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and received a fellowship to the University of South Carolina. There, she received a Master of Arts degree in Education and was awarded teaching certificates in English, French and Math.

On December 1st, 1951 Mildred married Delmer Carroll Van Sice. Together they raised three children, James, Judith and Catherine. Her life's work included teaching English as a second language in the evenings to immigrants throughout the late 1950's and early 1960's, substitute teaching in Wilmington, teaching Special Education classes at Mount Pleasant Junior High and joining the faculty at Wilmington High School where she taught English, teaching English at both St. Elizabeth High School and Delaware Technical and Community College. She also translated a few books from French to English with her lifelong friend, Professor Claude Foster, and learned to braille so she could translate written material for the blind.

In 1958, while pregnant with her third child, Catherine, her mother fell ill. Foreshadowing what would become her ultimate reason for living, Millie took her mother in and allowed her to die in her house. In early 1984 she took on the responsibility of caring for her father following a fall that broke his hip. She cared for him until his death in 1992, and then sequentially provided end of life care for her sister, Elizabeth Doyle and then her own husband, Delmer. Her hobbies were academic in nature and included the Alliance Francaise, and Great Books club.

She is survived by her children: James C. Van Sice, Judith S. Batchelder, and Catherine R. Van Sice; six grandchildren: Wade and Katherine Van Sice, Andrew and Gabrielle Via, and Kendal and Brendan Sarnecky: and one great-grandson, Blane Beach. The family extends special thanks to Hospice of the Chesapeake.

Services will be held on Friday, June 14, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at Gracelawn Memorial Park, 2200 N.Dupont Highway, Wilmington, DE. Friends may visit between 1:00 and 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired, Herman M. Holloway, Sr. Campus, Biggs Building, 1901 North DuPont Highway New Castle, DE 19720. To send messages of condolence visit www.mccreryandharra.com