Sally Dellaquila

Sally Drane Dellaquila, the youngest of ten children, age 80, passed away peacefully on Monday, February 16, 2026. She was born on November 21, 1945 in Ridley Park, PA to the late James and Anna Drane. She graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1964 in Chester PA. Sally was a very pleasant, kind, loving and understanding lady, despite all her health challenges she endured her entire life. She was kind to everyone she met, no matter who they were.

Sally worked at the Chadds Ford Tavern, which her brother Tommy Drane owned, for many years in the 70's and 80's, gaining a lot of experience making cheese steaks and hoagies. In 1983, she moved to Huntington Beach, CA to open her own hoagie shop. She opened Dell's hoagie and steak shop on October 7, 1983 and sold it in 1989. It still remains opened today!

Sally and her late husband, John, moved back to Delaware and Sally started a cleaning business, which she operated for 33 years before her legs gave out and she finally retired. In 2019 her husband John passed away after 55 years of marriage. She said they never had a fight that lasted over 12 hours! Sally was a member of St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church in Newark DE which was a big part of her life.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her late husband, John Dellaquila; 2 sisters, Miriam and Ann; and 4 brothers, James, Joe, Charlie, and Jackie. Sally is survived by 2 sisters, Joan Vari, her husband Anthony, of Wilmington and Kathleen Daniels of Hobe Sound, FL; and 1 brother, Tommy Drane, his wife Earlene, of Chadds Ford, PA; and many nieces and nephews.

Sally had many friends through the years who she loved dearly, including her friends from St. Vincent de Paul. We would like to thank her many great caregivers along the way, most recently Brookdale Hockessin and Compassionate Care Hospice.

A visitation for family and friends will be held from 10 am until 11 am on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at St. Margaret of Scotland Parish, 2431 Frazer Road, Newark, DE 19702, where a funeral Mass will begin at 11 am. Inurnment will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Sally's memory may be made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul – Council of Wilmington, SVDP – Wilmington Council, P.O. Box 7266, Wilmington, DE 19803 or online by clicking here.