Hazel E. Guessford, 83

TOWNSEND - Hazel E. Guessford of Townsend passed away on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007, at her son's home and in the presence of her loving family after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 83.

Born on Sept. 17, 1924, in Henderson, Md., she was the daughter of the late Frank Gruwell Sr. and Mary Jump Gruwell.

She was a member of the Mt. Olivet Church in Warwick, Md., and the Middletown Moose Lodge.

During her years as a homemaker, she worked at Thorney's Mill, Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill and Scott's Nursing Home in Smyrna.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Guessford Jr.; a daughter, Janet Guessford; a son, William Guessford; her sister, Ruth Reed; and three brothers, Merrill, Wilson and Frank Gruwell.

She is survived by her loving and devoted granddaughter, Vicky Guessford, with whom she lived and who graciously cared for her throughout her illness and prior years; a daughter, Ruth Ann O'Grady and her husband, Patrick of Middletown; two sons, John Guessford III and his wife, Elisa of Smyrna and Larry Guessford and his wife, Mary of Newark; eight grandchildren, Patrick O'Grady Jr., Amy Morton, and Alan, Jeffrey, Dominick, John IV, Larry and Michael Guessford; eight great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Charles Gruwell Sr. and his wife, Betty of Smyrna, and Ray Gruwell and his wife, Barbara of Townsend.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday in Daniels & Hutchison Funeral Home LLC, 212 N. Broad St., Middletown, where family and friends may call from 7-9 p.m. Thursday.

Interment will be in Townsend Cemetery.

Instead of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Mrs. Guessford's memory to Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church, P. O. Box 15, Warwick, MD 21912-0015; or to Delaware Hospice, Inc., 911 S. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901.

Letters of condolence may be sent and guestbook signed at www.daniels-hutchison.com.