Nichols-Gilmore Funeral Home & Cremation Service
212 East Justis Street
Newport (Wilmington),
DE
19804
Fax:
(302) 998-8324
Email:
nicholsgilmore@aol.com
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April 6, 2020
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Obituary for Charles Henry Secrest
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Charles Henry Secrest (Charlie) passed away on Monday, April 6th, of Covid. He also suffered from COPD, and Lewy Body Dementia.
Charlie was born in Mount Airy, NC on May 18,1937 to Robert L. and Annie Easter Secrest (Sechrist). As a child he worked on tobacco farms, killed a mule that was chasing him, learned the fine arts of making moonshine and turbo-charging engines, and was the nightmare of school teachers and school yard bullies everywhere.
His mother later married Frederick Prazzo and took Charlie and his siblings on a state-hopping adventure, landing in El Paso and Yuma, among other military bases before settling in Chicago when Freddie headed off to fight in the Korean War.
Life eventually brought the family to Wilmington, DE, where Charlie met and married Pauline McGrath. He and Pauline went on to have 7 children together.
While working as a master mechanic at White’s Chevrolet, Charlie met and married Sandra M. Booze, and they had 2 children together.
In 1980, he made a home with Violet Kirkner, the love of his later life. They were together 40 years, never legally marrying, but husband and wife nonetheless.
An avid bowler, junior bowling coach, dedicated Little League refreshment stand manager, accomplished salt and freshwater angler, cook who could make government surplus food delicious, and unrepentant tinkerer, Charlie never met a broken thing he couldn’t fix.
Throughout his adult life he bought and restored a series of classic cars. For several years he was very involved with the Delaware Street Rod Association. From his 1969 El Camino, to his 1957 Nash, his love of old cars was the constant in his life.
Preceding him in death are Pauline Secrest, and two of her children, Charles Henry Secrest, Jr. (Butch) in 1988 and Paula Ann Secrest (1996), Sandy Secrest, and two grandchildren, Ludin Alejandro Rentillo (1983), and Willliam Drummond Hansen (2003). Left to remember him are 7 children, Martha Longano, Vicky Secrest-Jarvis, Thomas Secrest, Tina Secrest, Charlene Secrest, Terri Hansen (Andrew), and Scott Secrest(Michelle), 10 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. Violet Kirkner also survives him.
There will be no services at this time due to the Covid pandemic. At some point in the future his ashes will be scattered in the Brandywine Creek according to his wishes. A memorial stone will be placed in the Jake Leonard Cemetery in Cana, VA. The family asks that if you feel moved, please make a contribution to the JDRF in Charlie’s name, as the two children who predeceased him died of complications of Type 1 Diabetes..
Charlie was born in Mount Airy, NC on May 18,1937 to Robert L. and Annie Easter Secrest (Sechrist). As a child he worked on tobacco farms, killed a mule that was chasing him, learned the fine arts of making moonshine and turbo-charging engines, and was the nightmare of school teachers and school yard bullies everywhere.
His mother later married Frederick Prazzo and took Charlie and his siblings on a state-hopping adventure, landing in El Paso and Yuma, among other military bases before settling in Chicago when Freddie headed off to fight in the Korean War.
Life eventually brought the family to Wilmington, DE, where Charlie met and married Pauline McGrath. He and Pauline went on to have 7 children together.
While working as a master mechanic at White’s Chevrolet, Charlie met and married Sandra M. Booze, and they had 2 children together.
In 1980, he made a home with Violet Kirkner, the love of his later life. They were together 40 years, never legally marrying, but husband and wife nonetheless.
An avid bowler, junior bowling coach, dedicated Little League refreshment stand manager, accomplished salt and freshwater angler, cook who could make government surplus food delicious, and unrepentant tinkerer, Charlie never met a broken thing he couldn’t fix.
Throughout his adult life he bought and restored a series of classic cars. For several years he was very involved with the Delaware Street Rod Association. From his 1969 El Camino, to his 1957 Nash, his love of old cars was the constant in his life.
Preceding him in death are Pauline Secrest, and two of her children, Charles Henry Secrest, Jr. (Butch) in 1988 and Paula Ann Secrest (1996), Sandy Secrest, and two grandchildren, Ludin Alejandro Rentillo (1983), and Willliam Drummond Hansen (2003). Left to remember him are 7 children, Martha Longano, Vicky Secrest-Jarvis, Thomas Secrest, Tina Secrest, Charlene Secrest, Terri Hansen (Andrew), and Scott Secrest(Michelle), 10 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. Violet Kirkner also survives him.
There will be no services at this time due to the Covid pandemic. At some point in the future his ashes will be scattered in the Brandywine Creek according to his wishes. A memorial stone will be placed in the Jake Leonard Cemetery in Cana, VA. The family asks that if you feel moved, please make a contribution to the JDRF in Charlie’s name, as the two children who predeceased him died of complications of Type 1 Diabetes..
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