James L. Wolynetz Sr.

James L. Wolynetz, Sr. of Hartly, DE crossed the bar and was delivered to the Lord, Thursday, November 27, 2025 at home. He was 88.
Mr. Wolynetz was born January 25, 1937 to Luke and Vera Wolynetz in Wilmington, Delaware. When he was 3 years old his mother died and he, his sister and father moved to Jacksonville, FL. He lived there till the age of 12, when he moved back to Delaware to live with his grandmother.
He graduated from Wilmington High School in 1955, Co-op in the 12th grade 2 weeks and then going to school in the HVAC trade, working for various HVAC companies starting with Keil Motor Co. in 1954 and ended his HVAC career at Service Unlimited in 1972.
He then started a new career as a building engineer, maintaining the HVAC system and daily operation at Delaware Technical Community College at 4th and Shipley St. for 8 years. Mr. Wolynetz then moved on to work at King Cole Rance in Milton, DE for 2 years to set up a new garage to maintain all the farm equipment that fed 10,000 head of cattle.
He then moved on to Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill in Smyrna as maintenance superintendent of the maintenance department for 8 years. He finished his career as the chief building engineer at America Trading Real Estate Properties at the Christina Executive Campus in Newark, DE in 1977.
Mr. Wolynetz was a member and treasurer of Association Facilities Engineer, Chapter 34 Wilmington.
He entered the Coast Guard Reserve in 1954 and achieved the rank of Chief Mechanic Technician. Mr. Wolynetz served on active duty at CG Station, Stanton Island, NY SAR Station Townsend Inlet, NJ, SAR Station North Wildwood, NJ from 1956-1958. He also served active duty at SAR Station, Cape May, NJ from 1972-1974.
After returning to reserve status, his yearly active duty took him to various coast guard SAR stations in NY, NJ, DE, MD, PA, VA and the Great Lakes.
Mr. Wolynetz was awarded 8 reserve Good Contact Ribbons, 8 Reserve Meritorious Ribbons, 2 Unit Commendation Medals, 3 Armed Forces Reserve Medals, 3 American Defense Service Medals, Expert Rifle Medal Expert Pistol Medal and the Coast Guard Commendation Medal. He earned Coxsign Pin so he could run a SAR boat when called upon.
He was a Silver Life Member of the CPOA, and a member of the American Legion Walter L. Fox Post #2, Dover.
Mr. Wolynetz enjoyed trapping muskrats in his teen years, hunting with his rabbit dogs, Peggy and Pete, fishing and woodworking in his shop while improving his house and yard work. He mostly enjoyed fishing with his daughter Vera when she took him fishing.
He learned how to use a computer while his oldest son, James was working for INS at the American Embassy in Moscow, Russia she he could communicate with him. He has worked many hours with his younger son, Matthew at his hotdog business "Pupshpotdog" in Wilmington, which is now called "Partydelaware" catering business. He enjoys helping the kids when they call on him. He loved to surf the internet and communicate with friends from high school and all the people he met on the internet all over the world. His most enjoyable time was entertaining his 6 grandsons, Kevin, Ryan, Josh, Cliff, Paddo and Jason. They loved their PO-POP as he was told by them many times.
He and his wife Betty enjoyed traveling all over the US and Europe after his retirement, they loved flying in the C-5 airplanes out of DAFB, they also loved to go on cruises, 6 of them to all parts of the world.
He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Betty Jean Bainbridge Wolynetz of Hartly; six children between them, Vera Lynne, James, Jr., Matthew Lee and stepchildren, James, Denise and Janine and his six grandchildren.
A viewing will be held from 5 -6, Thursday, December 11, 2025 at Torbert Funeral Chapel, 1145 E. Lebanon Road (Rt.10), Dover, DE 19901.
Graveside services will be held 11AM, Friday, December 12, 2025 at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Rd, Bear, DE 19701.