Preston Willie Rue Sr., 72

LINCOLN - Preston Willie Rue Sr. of Lincoln died Tuesday, May 22, 2007, in Bayhealth- Milford Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. He was 72.

Mr. Rue was born Jan. 30, 1935, to the late Bernice White and Roy James Rue Sr. in Parksley, Va.

He came to Delaware in the 1940s, making it his home.

For more than 30 years he was employed by Service Oil Co. as a fuel tanker driving retiring in 1999 due to his illness.

He was a member of Union Baptist Church in Lincoln, where he served as chairman of the trustee board. He also was president of the Lincoln area community action, doing whatever he could to improve the living conditions of his neighbors and friends.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Vester Lee Duffy Rue; three sons, Preston W. Rue Jr. of Baltimore, Michael Rue and Wayne Rue, both of Dover; one daughter, Joyce "Juke" Spencer of Lincoln; one brother, Purnell Rue of Lawrenceville, Va.; three sisters, Rosie Duffy of Liberty, N.Y., Sarah Bright and husband, Richard of Baltimore, and Dorothy White and husband, Rev. George W. White of Newark; two sisters-in-law, Arnita Hardy of Baltimore and Rose Lee Brownley of Parksley, Va.; two brothers-in-law, Nelson Fisher and Dennis Parker; a devoted cousin, Heyward A. White Sr.; 17 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be Friday from 6-8 p.m. in Union Baptist Church, Greentop Road, Lincoln.

Services will be Saturday at 1 p.m. in Mt. Zion AME Church, Ellendale, where friends may call two hours prior to services.

Burial will be in Milford Community Cemetery.

Arrangements by Miller Funeral Services, Lewes.