Wilbur N. Newcomb Jr., 85

CAMBRIDGE - Wilbur N. Newcomb Jr., passed away Monday, June 15, 2009, in the Mallard Bay Care Center, Cambridge. He was 85. He was born in Cambridge on May 3, 1924, and was a son of the late Wilbur Noel and Catherine Dunnan Newcomb Sr. Wilbur attended schools in Cambridge and graduated from Cambridge High School in 1942. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He also served in the U.S. Army Reserve and Maryland National Guard, retiring after 27 years of service. He was married to Jean Edgar on January 2, 1954. Wilbur had worked at Sears & Roebuck, Montgomery Ward and the Dorchester County Board of Education. He was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Cambridge Lodge No. 66 & A.F. & A.M., Scottish Rite, Chesapeake Forest 115 Tall Cedars of Lebanon, Life Member of Dorchester Post 91 American Legion, where he held many offices including Commander, and District Commander. Wilbur had also been a member of the American Legion Drum & Bugle Corps., and had served as a Counselor at Maryland Boys State, Disabled American Veterans, Cambridge Lodge 1272 B.P.O.E., and Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge 1211. Wilbur loved crabbing, watching powerboat racing, riding throughout Dorchester County and spending many years at Maryland Boys State. Wilbur had been in declining health since March and had been a patient at Mallard Bay for the past month, where he passed away on Monday afternoon. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by all of his brothers and sisters, Norma Nekarda, Edith Johnson, Donald B. Newcomb and Kathleen "Bootsie" Tolley. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Jean E. Newcomb of Cambridge; three children, Bonnie Pink of Stevensville, Donald Newcomb and his wife Patti of Newark, Del., and Rhonda Doyle and her husband Patrick of East New Market; eight grandchildren, Sean Pink of Washington, D.C., Stefanie Roselle and her husband Todd Roselle of Middletown, Del., Alexander Newcomb and Zachary Newcomb of Newark, Del., James Doyle, USMC of Parris Island, S.C., Jonathan Doyle, Victoria Doyle and Benjamin Doyle, all of East New Market; two great-grandchildren, Ashlyn and Avery Roselle of Middletown, Del.; several nieces and nephews; and a close family friend, Richard Messick. A funeral service will be 11 a.m. Friday at the Thomas Funeral Home in Cambridge, with the Rev. Fred Bahr officiating. Interment will follow at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday evening, where members of Cambridge Lodge No. 66 A.F. A.M. will conduct a memorial service at 8 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Veterans Recognition Comm., c/o Beverly Robinson, 913 Springfield Ave., Cambridge, MD 21613; or to Dorchester Post 91 Boys State Comm., 601 Radiance Drive, Cambridge, MD 21613. Pallbearers will be Jonathan Doyle, Alexander Newcomb, Zachary Newcomb, Patrick Doyle, James I. "Sarge" Johnson Jr., Adam Tolley, Glenn Robinson, and Richard Messick.