BIO INFO: Carolyn Davis was born and raised in Middletown, DE. She attended school in Middletown. Attended Goldey Beacom College and worked at Hercules. She married Marvin George Davis and they had two boys. The family lived on the family farm.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Farming, Education, Religion, Social Activities, Integration, Family Heritage
2026.005.002 Terry Wiley
BIO INFO: Terry Wiley was born and raised in Middletown, DE. He attended school in Middletown. He attended college after serving in the military in Vietnam. Terry worked at DuPont and continued to serve in the military. He married Gwendelyn Walmsley and had three children. They also have grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He retired from the military as a Brigadier General. Farming a part of his life as a resident of Middletown.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Family Heritage, Farming, Religion, Military Service, Integration, Education, Social Activities
BIO INFO: Brenda Shivery was born in California and moved to Middletown with her family as a child. She attended school in Middletown. She attended Goldey Beacom College. Her career was as a Tax Accountant. She and her husband have two sons and a step-daughter. They have grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her family heritage extends back to the 1600s and 1700s in America.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Farming, Education, Religion, Family Heritage, Social Activities
BIO INFO: David and Alison moved to Middletown in the 1970s and raised their two daughters here. They have had three homes and preserved two of them for historical reasons. Alison was a Teacher in Middletown as well as at the University of Delaware and David worked for the Department of Transportation as an Engineer. They volunteer in the community and are active in their Presbyterian Church. Their ancestors extend back to the 1600s and 1700s in America.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Genealogy, Family Heritage, Education, Historical Preservation, Religion, Social Activities
BIO INFO: Thelma Queen was born Thelma Todd in Smyrna, Delaware. Her family lived in Middletown, Delaware her whole life. She attended school in Middletown in a segregated school until the 9th grade. She married Renzie Queen and had two children; a boy and a girl. She has devoted her life to working hard to support her family and volunteering in her community to serve others. She has attended Dale’s Memorial United Methodist Church in Middletown her entire life.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Religion, Community Service, Social Activities, Education, Segregation, Integration
BIO INFO: Patsy Warner was born in Dover, DE in 1942 and lived in the Clayton area before moving to Middletown at 6 years old. Patsy lived on a farm for part of the childhood with her family. She fulfilled her life’s goal of being a Teacher. She married her husband in 1970 and lived for 20 yeas as an military wife. They have been married for over 50 years. Their families are well known in the area and have been since our country’s beginnings.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Education, Military, Farming, Desegregation, Religion, Social Activities, World History
BIO INFO: Edna Cale is a life long resident of Middletown, DE. She was born at home in Mt. Pleasant just north of Middletown and was raised on a small farm by her grandparents. She attended school at what was then the “Colored” Schools in Middletown. She was married to George Albert Cale and they had 5 children; three boys and two girls. Mrs. Cale eventually earned her high school diploma and throughout her life worked to bring awareness of the value of education and employment.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Farming, Segregation, Education, Religion, Family Heritage, Social Activities
BIO INFO: Alfred Otto Grimminger was born in Philadelphia in 1940 and the family moved to Richardson Park, Wilmington, DE. Al lived there until 1952 when they then moved to Middletown. Al attended school in the one school for first to 12th grade where he graduated. His family owned a Bakery in Middletown. Al served in the Delaware National Guard. He lives with his wife Janet and their children are grown and have children of their own.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Farming, Military, Family Heritage, Education, Religion, Social Activities
2026.005.009 Phyllis Waecker
BIO INFO: Phyllis Waecker is a life-long resident of Middletown, Delaware. She and her husband and family have owned and run a farm for several generations. She has worked her whole life, both on the farm as a child, and in local business as an insurance agent and in accounting. She was born and married at her farm home. Phyllis is proud of her hometown, its rich history and the community support for each other.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Farming, Industry, Family Heritage, Religion, Education, Social Activities
BIO INFO: Patty Walker was born in Lansing, MI, but soon moved to Middletown, Delaware with her parents who were born in Middletown. She lived her life in Middletown, married briefly and had a son. She worked for Dupont, DNREC, and is a Preacher. She attended school at Louis L Redding while it was a segregated school and then attended Middletown High School when integration was mandated by federal law.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Education, Religion, Integration, Social Activities, Farming, Family Heritage
BIO INFO: Teddy Whitlock is a life-long resident of Middletown, DE. He worked most of his life at a local oil refinery and his wife Betty worked at a local bank. They have one daughter, Lisa. Teddy and Betty are are practicing Catholics and volunteered at the St. Vincent de Paul Society to provide assistance to local families in need. Teddy served in the Delaware National Guard and is now retired. Betty is now deceased.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Family Heritage, Farming, Education, Integration, Religion, Social Activities
2026.005.012 William Saunders
BIO INFO: William Saunders was born in Middletown, Delaware in 1943 to Edna and Leon Saunders. He had 10 brothers and sisters. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 28 years and was stationed all over the world. He met his wife in Germany and they have three children, 5 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren. He and his wife retired to Dover, Delaware, but William still connects with Middletown and his family and friends who still reside there.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Family Heritage, Military Service, Farming, Education, Segregation, Religion
BIO INFO: Mary Borecki has lived in Middletown, Delaware for most of her adult life with her husband Tom and her two children. She has worked as a lab technician for Dupont Company and has spent 36 years as the Middletown Librarian. Mary enjoys reading and her children have brought her a sense of pride as they have grown to adulthood. Her children were active in the productions at the Everett Theater.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Community History, Career, Family Heritage, Religion, Education, Social Activities
BIO INFO: Jimmy Reynolds was born and raised in Middletown, Delaware as was his wife. He attended Middletown High School from 1st to 12th grade. He played sports during his school years, especially football. He worked for the state of Delaware for 36 years as a Soils Technician and when he retired he worked for a private company for 23 years. He and his wife have two sons who live locally and one granddaughter. He has devoted his life to volunteer work for his community including serving on the Town Council as Vice Mayor.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Middletown Heritage, Volunteerism, Community, Integration, Education, Social Activities
BIO INFO: Ardie Todd was born and raised in Middletown Delaware. Her family are long-time residents of Middletown and she has lived here with her husband all of her life. She was a Teacher for 48 years serving young children in the Appoquinimink School District. She has experienced segregation and then integration in her community.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Family Heritage, Education, Religion, Social Activities, Community History, Career
BIO INFO: Joanne Armstrong is a life long resident of Middletown, Delaware. Her family owned a large farm north of Middletown on Rt. 896. The original house that her ancestors built in the 1800s still stands and she lives in it with her husband. Her father was a dairyman and her mother grew a garden each year. Joanne spent her career as a Librarian, first at the Louis L Redding Middle School and then in Baltimore County, MD. She was instrumental in the start of an organization to address Progressive Super Nuclear Palsy.
TOPICS AND SUBJECT MATTER KEYWORDS: Farming, Family Heritage, Education, Religion, Community History, Career