John J. von Reider Sr., 92

FORT WORTH, TEXAS - John J. von Reider, formerly of Dover, died on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008, He was 92. He was a native and life long resident of Dover, and retired in 1981, after 45 years of service with Delaware Trust Company as a Regional Vice President. He was a life long member of People's Church since 1926, continuing his membership after his move to Texas in 2006. He joined the Roman Catholic church and became a member of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in August of 2007. He was the son of John Jacob von Reider and Alice Gessner von Reider, who emigrated individually from Europe, met in America in the late 1800's, and were married in Philadelphia in the year 1900. He was preceded in death by his father in 1919; his mother in 1971; his "lovely sister" Frieda in 1999; and by his wife, Elizabeth G. Silfies von Reider, after almost 66 years of marriage. He is survived by a daughter, Alice Elizabeth Stiles of Athens, Ga.; two sons, John J. von Reider Jr. and his wife, our beloved daughter-in-law, Veronica, of Fort Worth, and Michael von Reider and his partner-in-life of over 28 years, David Hemmig, of Dover; four grandchildren, Michael D. DeFoe, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., Michelle C. Mims and her husband Mike, of Colombus, Ga., John J. von Reider IV, and Serena von Reider Lero and her husband Matthew Lero, all of Fort Worth; and five great-grandchildren, Christina, Danielle, and Alicia DeFoe of Colombus, Ga., Michael Douglas DeFoe Jr. of Lake Havasu City, and Kristopher Forest Lero of Fort Worth. Private burial and arrangements were handled by Michael J. Ambruso Funeral Director, Inc. of Dover.