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William A. Minner
Posted 11/1/06
William A. "Bill" Minner, 86 HARRINGTON - William A. "Bill" Minner of Harrington died Monday, Oct. 30, 2006, in Christiana Care-Christiana Hospital, Newark, with his loving family by his side. He was …
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William A. Minner
Posted
William A. "Bill" Minner, 86
HARRINGTON - William A. "Bill" Minner of Harrington died Monday, Oct. 30, 2006, in Christiana Care-Christiana Hospital, Newark, with his loving family by his side. He was 86.
Mr. Minner was born Jan. 12, 1920, in Masten"s Corner, son of the late Alice and Amos Minner.
He attended school at the Masten"s Corner School until going to Harrington High School, where he played on the soccer, basketball and baseball teams. Mr. Minner graduated in 1938 and went on to attend Goldey College in Wilmington, where he again played soccer and basketball.
Mr. Minner worked at the DuPont Co. until he enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served from 1943 to 1946 with the 41st Infantry Division in New Guinea, the Philippines and the Occupation of Japan. He was discharged from the Army with a technical sergeant rating and returned to Harrington.
He worked with Day and Zimmerman Electrical Co., then went into the grocery store business before becoming a liquor inspector with the Delaware Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. He retired as chief inspector for the DABCC in 1980.
Mr. Minner stayed active in the community of Harrington by coaching the Harrington Men"s Legionnaire town basketball team and then the boys and girls teams in the Biddy Basketball League. He also coached a Little League team sponsored by the American Legion post for many years. He volunteered as a baseball and softball umpire, as well as a basketball referee throughout Kent and Sussex counties.
Pony racing was a lifetime hobby for him, and he raced at the Moose Home in Harrington, Cedar Creek in Milford, and also in Sandtown, Greensboro and Wyndee. His Welsh pony, J.J. Genie, aged 36 years, is still living the good life in Masten"s Corner. Mr. Minner continued his harness racing hobby, as he owned horses with Lewis Welch and Robert Shahan, racing his horses at Harrington, Dover Downs, Ocean Downs and Brandywine raceways.
His civic duties included serving as a member of the City Council, and then serving as Mayor of Harrington for two terms, from 1973 to 1977. Mr. Minner was a lifetime member of the C.K.R.T. Legion Post 7 in Harrington, where he also served as past post commander. He was a lifetime charter member of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., a member of the Kent County Fraternal Order of Police, the Harrington Senior Center, the Harrington High School Alumni Association, the Greater Harrington Historical Society, a lifetime member of the Harrington Volunteer Fire Co., the Historical Vintage Car Club of Delaware Inc. and the Asbury United Methodist Church in Harrington.
Mr. Minner is survived by his wife of 58 years, Anne (Townsend) Minner; two daughters, Karen M. Heyd of Harrington and Angela M. DiSabatino of Middletown; and six grandchildren, Katherine (Heyd) Sears and her husband, Dane, Margaret Heyd, Steven William Heyd, Natalie DiSabatino, Caroline DiSabatino and Peter DiSabatino.
Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday in McKnatt, Carpenter & Baker Funeral Home, 50 Commerce St., Harrington.
Services will be 1 p.m. Friday in Asbury United Methodist Church, 200 Weiner Ave., Harrington, where friends may call one hour earlier.
Burial will be in Hollywood Cemetery, Harrington.
Instead of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to Asbury United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, 200 Weiner Ave., Harrington, DE 19952; or to the Harrington Parks and Recreation Athletic Fund, c/o City of Harrington, 106 Dorman St., Harrington, DE 19952.