Del Stover
On Monday, January 21, 2019, Del passed away at his home in Red Banks. He was 85. Del was born in Harrah, Washington. He grew up on a farm near Yakima, Wash., with his parents, an older sister and 3 brothers. Del met his future wife, Jewel Dean Watkins, in high school. They were married for 65 years, until her death in 2017.
After graduating high school, Del hitchhiked from Washington to Red Banks to be with Jewel. He worked at Colonial Bakery for a brief time, before joining the Army in 1952 and serving in Korea. He received his degree in chemical engineering from the University of Mississippi. He went to work for Esso (later EXXON) in Baton Rouge, La., and later transferred to N.J., where he was elected mayor of Washington Township. He also worked in Japan, Aruba, Colombia, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and England. He spent many years in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, as the plant manager for the Imperial Oil Refinery. He moved to Houston, Texas, to manage the Mont Belvieu plastics plant and finally retired after 28 years with Exxon.
The family moved back to Red Banks, to Jewel's parents' farm and after restoring the farm and house, he began a new career in community service. Among his activities: County Chairman of the Republican Party; Board of Directors for the Holly Springs Development Corp.; Board of Trustees at the County Hospital; Board of Directors for the Industrial Development Authority; member of the Commission on the Future of NE Mississippi; Chairman of Chickasaw Trails Industrial Park, and was elected as County Election Commissioner.
Del was an avid golfer and ran the Holly Springs Country Club for several years. He loved to play golf and tennis. He also enjoyed oil painting and playing computer games as well as working crossword and jigsaw puzzles.
He was a lifetime member of the VFW, a Rotarian, and an alumni of the University of Mississippi.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jewel Dean, and daughter, Mary; his parents, Ernest and Stella Stover; his sister,Virginia and two brothers, Eugene and Victor. He leaves his son, Delmar, Jr. (and his wife Carole); daughter, Lisa and grandchildren, Serena, David, and Matthew; and best friend, Margaret Delashmit. He also leaves his brother, David (and his wife, Delores) of Seattle, Washington; sister-in-law, Jennifer of Kearney, NE; step-sister, Barbara Van Dusen and stepbrother, Richard Grow of Yuba City, CA; along with many nieces and nephews and several friends.
A special thank you to his caregivers, Serena Comeau, Shirley Eason, Theresa Watkins, and Rita Clay.
Services were held Friday, January 25, 2019, at the Holly Springs Funeral Home. He is buried at the Red Banks cemetery beside Jewel and Mary.
paid obituary