Milton S. Chaski's Obituary
Milton S. Chaski, Sr., 89, passed away on March 1, 2011 at Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Salisbury, MD surrounded by members of his family.
Mr. Chaski was born November 26, 1921 in Curtis Bay, MD to Victor and Eugenia (Dobrastan) Chaski. He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Mildred Chaski Balint, his brother Walter, and his former wife of 48 years, Marylee Evans Chaski. He is survived by his six children, his nine grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren: Jo Ann Middleton, PhD, her husband, John R. Middleton, Sr, MD, of South Orange, NJ; Eugenia Lee Roskos, MLS and her husband, Joseph W Roskos, CPA, JD, LLM, of Wayne, PA; Rebecca Mary Campbell, and her husband, Thomas L. Campbell, of Safety Harbor, FL, Hilda Chaski Adams, MPH, and her husband H. Douglas Adams, PhD, of St Louis, MO, Milton S. Chaski, Jr and his wife Diana, of Lewes, DE, and Carole E. Chaski, PhD of Georgetown, DE; John R. Middleton, Jr, Esq. of Upper Montclair, NJ, Jeffrey Evans Middleton, Sr, MBA and his wife Heather, of Nashville, TN, David W. Middleton, MA and his wife Rebecca, of Glen Ridge, NJ, Kati (Campbell) Kiefer and her husband James K. Kiefer, Jr, of Valrico, FL, Carole Leigh (Campbell) Swiecicki, PhD and her husband Scott Swiecicki of Virginia Beach, VA, Evan J. Roskos, MS, CPA of Brooklyn, NY, Elisabeth Milton Roskos of Pittsburgh, PA, John Milton Chaski of Camden, DE, Sarah Margaret Chaski of Lewes, DE, Annabelle Victoria Kiefer, James Kevin Keifer III, Thomas Campbell Kiefer, John Beier Kiefer of Valrico, FL, Jeffrey Evans Middleton, Jr, Carter James Middleton of Nashville, TN, Isobel Grace Middleton, Maxwell David Middleton, Lorelei Quin Middleton, and Elliott Rose Middleton of Glen Ridge, NJ. He strongly valued education and hard work, invested in his children’s educations, and was especially proud of his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mr. Chaski was a successful entrepreneur in Maryland and Delaware, building businesses with Marylee in several industries. Mr. Chaski founded, owned and operated Milt’s Rendezvous and Village Liquors in Brooklyn Park, MD, where he also managed a residential and light commercial construction business. Mr. Chaski was an accomplished deep-sea fishing angler, and captained the LeeAnn, the Rendezvous and the Rendezvous Too from West Ocean City harbor, with clients such as Wayne Pump. He won many fishing tournaments, held some world records, and fished for the Hatteras NC team in Puerto Rico. In 1973, Mr. and Mrs. Chaski sold their businesses and real estate in Maryland to start a new venture in mobile home park management and development, with the purchase of Love Creek Marina and Mobile Home Park in Lewes DE. They extensively renovated and expanded the park, and later built and operated Sand Hill Acres in Georgetown, DE and Laurel Village in Laurel DE. Mr. Chaski passed the management responsibilities to his son Milton Jr. when he retired. With his wife’s encouragement, Mr. Chaski collected and traded in antiques and Oriental rugs, and two of his children have successfully developed antique businesses, while all of his children share the sensibility and appreciation of antiques and art.
During World War II, Mr. Chaski and his father were a well-known riveting team in Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard in Baltimore, where they worked on the SS Patrick Henry, the first Liberty Ship, launched in September 1941. Each team member signed his name on the girders of that ship. The father-son team gave riveting demonstrations in Patterson Park, Baltimore to show civilians what was happening at the Shipyard for the war effort.
Mr. Chaski celebrated 49 years of sobriety, and maintained membership in the Berlin Group of AA until the end of his life. He attended St Rose of Lima Catholic Church and was a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus in Baltimore, MD. He was a member of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Laurel, DE.
Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 2:00 PM at Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, 16961 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE followed by interment at Bethel Methodist Cemetery, Lewes. Friends may call at the funeral home on Monday, March 7, from 6 - 8 PM and on Tuesday, from 1 - 2 PM.
Mr. Chaski was an avid reader and supporter of literacy. He loved to hear his grandchildren and great-grandchildren read to him.
Donations may be sent to the Marylee Chaski Charitable Corporation, 25100 Trinity Drive, Georgetown, DE 19947, a tax-exempt private foundation which supports the life cycle of literacy, with projects in New Jersey, Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.
Condolences may be sent to the same address, for The Chaski Family, c/o Carole Chaski.
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