William "Charlie" Charles "Charlie" Paradee, Jr. Jr.

William Charles (Charlie) Paradee Jr. of Smyrna, Delaware passed away at home, quietly and peacefully, on August 11, 2025.

Charlie was born in Dover, Delaware on October 3, 1938. The son of Eleanor Simpson Paradee and William Charles Paradee, Charlie and his older sister Eleanor grew up on Rodney Road and on State Street in Dover. Although Charlie's father started the family oil business in 1930, the Paradees were longtime Kent County farmers; farming played a formative part in Charlie's early years, a legacy which continued throughout his life when Charlie purchased a farm near Smyrna.

Growing up during the post war 1940s-50s, Charlie made many lifelong friends in Old Dover. Charlie, an honored Eagle Scout, attended Dover High School (DHS) where he demonstrated exceptional athleticism in sports including football and track (setting several records along the way) and graduated in 1956. Soon after, Charlie graduated from East Carolina University with his degree in Business.

Following college, Charlie returned to Dover to join the family business, Paradee Oil Company, where he successfully grew the company into one of the largest petroleum product distributors on the east coast. During this time, Charlie raised three children: John, Jackie, and Trey, dividing his time equally between family, work, and a host of charitable and civic endeavors including The Dover Rotary Club, Kent General Hospital (where he led an important capital campaign to expand the hospital), the Board of Farmers Bank (later Mellon Bank), the Kent County Board of Adjustment, and as Chair of the Kent County Democrat Committee. Charlie closely followed all of his children's pursuits, shuttling Jackie to horse shows, and attending John's baseball and soccer games and Trey's football and lacrosse games. Later in life, Charlie welcomed Karen and Keith Hurd into the family, embracing the life of a Caesar Rodney band parent with pride, chaperoning with the band and driving a trailer to musical events that supported the arts and local youth.

Charlie and his wife, Lin, enjoyed several vacation getaways (including trips to Europe, Alaska, and other exotic locations). In his quiet time, Charlie cherished trips to their home in Bethany Beach. An avid hunter and a member of the Old Drake's, Charlie also found great pleasure in competing in the hunt series with several of his Labrador retrievers.

Time spent with his grandchildren was priceless to Charlie, either cheering them on in their pursuits or offering them a listening ear and sage advice. Charlie could often be found in the stands for horse shows, football, soccer, baseball, and lacrosse games, and he loved to provide a golf tip when he wasn't getting one from the boys. Family was important to Charlie as personified by his annual crab feast at the farm; a time filled with laughter, love, and storytelling for the benefit of the next generation. Sharing his passion for the family's history as well as the history of his home state was so very important to Charlie.

Charlie is survived by his wife, Linda (Lin) Paradee; his children: John (Linda) Paradee, Jackie (Luke) Mette, Trey (Meghan) Paradee, Karen Hurd, and Keith Hurd; his grandchildren: Cassie, Will, Henry, Charlie, Jackson, Ethan, and Austin; and his two nieces, Randie (Cam) Albright and Elizabeth (Tony) Chiedi, and their children. Charlie was predeceased by his beloved sister, Eleanor Lee Cain, and his parents Charles, Sr. and Eleanor Simpson Paradee.

Funeral services will be held at Torbert Funeral Chapel South, 1145 E. Lebanon Road (Rt.10), Dover on Thursday, August 21, 2025, with visitation beginning at 10:00a.m. and the service beginning at 12:00 p.m. Burial at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Camden will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family recommends contributions to Bayhealth Medical Center, Ducks Unlimited, or Boy Scouts of America.