BRIDGEVILLE - Ronald E. Sipple, age 79, of Bridgeville, passed away on Tuesday Jan. 31, 2012, at Life Care at Lofland Park, Seaford, after a long illness. He was born Nov. 13, 1932, in Milford, the son of the late Arthur M. and Agnes Williams Sipple. He grew up in Viola, and was a 1950 graduate of Caesar Rodney High School. Following graduation he worked for the E.I. DuPont Company in Seaford, for 42 years, retiring in 1992. He served in the US Army from 1953 to 1955. He also worked for the Hardesty Funeral Home as a funeral assistant for many years. Ronald's true passion in life was serving his community in the fire service. He first joined the Felton Fire Company in 1952 where he was an Honorary Life Member and later the Bridgeville Volunteer Fire Company in 1957. A lifetime member of Station 72, he served as vice president, ambulance lieutenant, ambulance captain, chief engineer and fire chief, a position he held from 1964 thru 1966 and again from 1980 thru 1982. In 1981 he was recognized by the DuPont Co. for completing over 5000 ambulance runs. In 1969 he was honored by the Bridgeville Fire Company as Fireman of the Year and in 2007 he was the recipient of the Sussex County Volunteer Fireman's Association Award as Fireman of the Year. In addition to the fire service, Ronald enjoyed hunting and attending the Blue Rocks and Delmarva Shorebirds games, especially with his identical twin brother, Donald, who died in 2007. He was also predeceased by his sister, Shirley A. Hairgrove; and brother-in-law, Richard C. Hairgrove. Ronald is survived by his wife, Margaret "Bootsie" Sipple, whom he married in May 1957; daughter Becky S. Patterson and husband Michael; son, Michael E. Sipple and wife Patricia; granddaughters, Stacey R. Patterson, Angela P. James and husband Robert, Kelly Sipple, and Lauren M. Sipple; great grandson, Drake Chad James; great-granddaughter, Bailey Ann James; two brothers, William A. Sipple and wife Joyce and Larry R. Sipple and wife Connie; sister-in-law, Izetta Sipple; and two brothers-in-law, Harry Waters and wife Evelyn and Albert Waters and wife Jan. Funeral services with Fireman's Honors will be held on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, at 3 p.m. at the Bridgeville Volunteer Fire Company, 311 Market Street, Bridgeville, where friends may call from 2 to 3 p.m. Friends may also call from 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, at the Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Hardesty Chapel, 202 Laws Street, Bridgeville. Burial will be in Bridgeville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to the Bridgeville Volunteer Fire Company, PO Box 727, Bridgeville, DE 19933. Please visit Mr. Sipple's Life Memorial webpage and sign his online guestbook at www.parsellfuneralhomes.com