William W. Messenger

William Wilson Messenger passed away peacefully on April 26, 2024, at the Manor House Retirement Community in Seaford, DE, at the age of 88 years and 8 days after a two-year battle with lung cancer (although he was never a smoker). He was known to friends and family as "Bill."
He was born on April 18, 1936, in Coalwood, WV, to William and Esther Holycross Messenger and shortly thereafter, they moved to Ohio where he grew up in Fostoria.
As a 12-year-old, he was a finalist in the Ohio Soap Box Derby in Akron, OH, with the racer he built with his father and had his picture taken with the actor Jimmy Stewart. An avid Boy Scout, he attended the National Scout Jamboree in 1950 in Valley Forge, PA. He graduated from the Case Institute of Technology (now Case Western Reserve University) in Cleveland, OH, in 1958 with a degree in chemical engineering and then spent two years with the US Air Force, stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH. He received a master's in industrial engineering from the Ohio State University in Columbus, OH in 1963.
On August 2, 1959, he married Gwendolyn Marshall in Fostoria, OH, and they would have celebrated a 65th anniversary this year. They had two sons, William Glen, and Thomas David. He joined DuPont in 1963 and spent most of his career in the Seaford, DE, nylon plant as an engineer. He retired in 1991 and became a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Delaware.
Throughout his life, Bill was a devoted husband and father and encouraged and participated with his sons in their activities and interests. He was an enthusiastic and tireless volunteer. With his engineering background he was a real problem solver and had a wide-ranging intellectual interest in history. He had a remarkable collection of antique and modern tools and was never at a loss for a fix-it requests. He was a generous "big brother" and role model, a fascinating storyteller and enjoyed and told many good jokes.
As a wedding present to his bride, he built a bedroom suite of a 4-poster bed, chest-on-chest highboy, dresser, and two end tables made from cherry wood given to the couple as a wedding present by his grandfather, C.O. Messenger. When his sons were young, he coached Little League baseball, and served as an adult leader in Boy Scout troop 249 based at St. John's United Methodist Church in Seaford
Bill was an active member, trustee, and volunteer at St. John's and later at Seaford Presbyterian Church for many years. He was a board member and long-time volunteer with the Seaford Historical Society, often serving as electrician and handyman at the historical Ross Mansion and at concerts and events. He was a founding member and 1st Commodore of the Nanticoke River Yacht Club and President of the Williams Pond Association. He was a founder and director of the Blades Economic Development Corporation. He was a board member of the Seaford Community Concert Association. In later years he enjoyed family reunions at Rehoboth Beach, visits with his grandchildren, and vacation travel and cruises with his wife.
He was preceded in death by his son Thomas on May 31, 2015, in Azalea, OR. He is survived by and will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by his wife Gwendolyn, son Will Messenger and his wife Kim, granddaughters Sarah and Hannah Messenger, all of Boston, MA; grandson Canyon Messenger Smith and granddaughter Maya Messenger of Eugene, OR; brother Joseph Messenger and his wife Alzire, Ames, IA; sisters Miriam Duncan, Milford, CT, and Lois Messenger Sandberg and her husband Richard, New Canaan, CT; and 8 nieces and nephews.
A funeral will be held Sunday, June 30 at 2 pm at the Manor House 1001 Middleford Rd, Seaford, DE, 19973, which was his final residence. A Burial will be at the Fountain Cemetery 702 Van Buren St. Fostoria, OH 44830 on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at 11 am.
Memorial gifts made be made to The Seaford Historical Society, 203 High Street, Seaford, DE 19973. Correspondence may be sent to rememberingbill@messengerfamily.net.
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