Ralph Rodney Wilson's Obituary
Ralph "Rod” Rodney Wilson Jr. age 80, of Lewes, DE passed away on Saturday, December 17, 2022. He was born on May 26, 1942, in Newark, DE, son of the late Ralph Rodney (Buck) and Marion (Futcher) Wilson, Rod's biological parents.
Rod grew up in two homes, one with his parents and later with his grandparents due to a chronic health issue. He had two younger siblings, Lydia, and Forest.
Rod’s grandparents’ home was in Newark DE. It was during this time that he graduated from Newark High School in June of 1960. During his three years of high school in Newark, he played on the Newark Yellowjackets football team, starting as right offensive guard. Rod also played in the 1959 Delaware all-star Blue & Gold game. In September of 1960, he entered the Ag School of the University of Delaware studying agronomy. Rod graduated in 1964 with a B.S. in agronomy, continuing with his studies and obtaining a master’s degree in 1967.
Throughout his college years, Rod spent his summers in Rehoboth Beach Delaware working as a Lifeguard during the day and worked as a bus boy at the Avenue restaurant in the evenings. During his experience working at the Avenue restaurant, Rod met a young lady, Carolyn Horner from Clarksburg West Virginia. These two young people dated and married in October of 1965. It was a big wedding held at Carolyn’s home of Clarksburg, West Virginia. Rod & Carolyn Wilson were blessed with two baby girls, Wendy Wheat, born on March 1st, 1968, and Tracy Rittenhouse, born on May 14, 1970. The Wilson family made their home in several places. First in Frederick, MD where Rod was stationed while serving in the U.S. Army, as a continued commitment that began when he served in The University of Delaware’s R.O.T.C. program.
The family moved a few times as Rod found employment with Agriculture Chemical companies across the mid-west. His agronomy degree qualified him as a technical consultant to advise large farmers growing corn and other crops across the mid-west. Many summers Rod and Carolyn continued their love for Rehoboth Beach and would return to vacation. First renting places to stay and later purchasing a home on Country Club Dr. in “Country Club Estates,” in Rehoboth Beach.
In May of 1992, the Wilson marriage failed, and Rod and Carolyn divorced. Rod stayed in Rehoboth, living in the house on Country Club Dr. while Carolyn returned to the family home in West Chester PA. Rod retired from the Ag. Business after many dedicated years.
In 1995 Rod met and married Ruby Jones, and together they purchased a hotel on RT. 1 called The Rehoboth Inn, where they worked hard to establish a hospitality business, which they sold when COVID-19 hit the area in 2020. December 13, 2020, Rod suffered another loss, when Ruby suffered a stroke and passed on two days later.
Rod just never seemed to recover from the loss of Ruby. He lived alone and only ventured out of the house to go to the Post Office, or possibly have lunch with an old friend at Crystals or have a burger one evening a week with his cousin. Rod fell in his kitchen and broke his hip on October 24, 2022. He was assigned to the Atlantic Rehabilitation center in Millsboro where he passed away exactly two years to the day after Ruby, on December 13 ,2022. Time spent with family was what he treasured more than anything. Rod was a wonderful husband, father, and friend. Loved by many, he will be deeply missed by all who had the good fortune to know him.
Please sign Rod's virtual guestbook located on the tribute page.
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