William C. Rule

William C. Rule, age 81, of Wilmington, DE, formerly of Philadelphia, PA, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, September 14, 2024. Born in Pennsylvania, William moved to Wilmington in 1998, where he spent the remainder of his years. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Army as a member of the 101st Airborne Division, a role he held with honor throughout his life.
After his military service, William had a long and fulfilling career as a Transportation Manager at the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he made many lifelong friends.
William had a zest for life and found joy in simple pleasures. He was an avid Philadelphia Eagles fan, never missing a game, and loved playing cards with friends and family. His happiest moments were spent outdoors, camping and creating cherished memories with loved ones.
He is predeceased by his brothers, Ernest, Robert, and Douglas Rule; and his sisters, Clara Nawrocki, Patience Hendricks, Eleanor Edwards-Forsythe, and Lila Wichrowski.
William is survived by his beloved wife, Mary Ann Rule, of Wilmington, DE. He was a proud and devoted father to his children: Guy (Karen) Rule of Illinois, Keith Rule of Arizona, Brian (Jaimie) Rule of New Jersey, Peter Rule, Tina (Rick) Curran of Delaware, and Shannon (Tyrel) Richards of Michigan. He is also survived by his sister, Blanche Rinick of New Jersey; along with 19 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Friday, September 20th, from 10:30am – 11:30am at the Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE 19808, followed by a 12:00pm Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Beloved Church, 907 Milltown Road, Wilmington, DE 19808. Burial will follow at All Saints Cemetery.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of William C. Rule, please visit our floral store.