William Edward Dashields, 48

WESTOVER - William Edward Dashields, 48, died Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007, at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury. He was surrounded by the angels and his loving wife, Emma R. Dashields, and family.

William was the son of the late Dorothy and Charles Dashields, and he had given his heart, body and soul to the Lord on Aug. 13, 2007.

He was a graduate of Washington High School in Princess Anne, and he was an enlisted member of the United States Army.

He served 16 years before he received an honorable discharge. As a member of the military, he received numerous commendations for good conduct, marksmanship, professional development and Army achievement, to name a few. He also was afforded the opportunities to travel extensively to many areas of the world, including his favorites, Germany and Saudi Arabia.

After his discharge, in addition to being in the National Guards on a part-time, "as-needed" basis, Mr. Dashields worked full-time for Plymouth Tubing for many years and prior to his illness and passing, he was a dedicated employee of Eastern Correctional Institution in Westover, where he obtained the rank of sergeant. He was so dedicated that he was known for reporting to work one hour earlier than his scheduled shift time.

William was a man who loved his family. He could spend hours playing with his children and just doing "dad" things. Emma was the love of his life, and he will be sincerely missed by his church family, The Apostolic Revival Center, and his ECI family.

In addition to his devoted wife of 24 years, Emma Dashields, he is survived by two sons, Williams Jr. of Fort Jackson, S.C. and Virgil of Crisfield; five daughters, LaShawn, Danielli, Lisa, Andrea and Whitney Dashields, all of Westover; three brothers, Wayne (Pat) Dashields of Cheverly, Md., Charles Dashields of Baltimore and Frank (Cynthia) Dashields of Salisbury; three sisters, Henrietta (Willie) Turner of Salisbury, Dottie (Sam) Akinteye of Forestville, Md., and Vivian (Alvis) Hayman-Schoolfield of Princess Anne; four aunts, Doris Jones and Sarah Hall of Salisbury, Lettie Dashields of Princess Anne, and Betty Hayman of Willingsboro, N.J.; his father and mother-in-law, James and Marie Maddox of Lower Fairmount; five brothers-in-law, James (Gloria) Maddox of Baltimore, Robert Maddox of Fairmount, Arthur (Sharon) Maddox of Upper Fairmount, Thomas (Deana) Maddox of Princess Anne, and Russell (Kim) Maddox of Eden; three sisters-in-law, Mabel (George) Collins of Lower Fairmount, Maggie (Elwood) Collins of Lower Fairmount and Marie (Levi) Corbin of Princess Anne; his godmother, who was like a surrogate mother to him, Annie Mae Milbourne of Westover; three godchildren, Monica Jones and William Christy, both of Fairmount, and Douglas Robinson Jr. of Arkansas; his best buddy of many years, Granville Maddox of Princess Anne; a devoted niece, who was his caregiver during his illness, Patricia Brown of Lower Fairmount; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were Saturday at the Ella Fitzgerald Center of Performing Arts at UMES. Interment was in Spring Hill Memory Gardens near Hebron. Deborah E. Harris-Nock Funeral Services, Greenwood, Del., handled the arrangements.