Anne Chapman Berl (Nancy)

Anne Chapman Berl (Nancy) of Wilmington, DE passed away peacefully on Monday, June 26, 2023 at the age of 95. Nancy was born in Wilmington, DE, the daughter of the late Mary Hughes Chapman and Frederick F. Chapman. In addition to her parents, Nancy was preceded in death by her husband William Berl III, her sister Joan Chapman Wilhoit, and her brother Frederick H. Chapman.

Nancy was a 1946 graduate of Wilmington Friends School where she played field hockey, basketball and softball. She was the president of the Girls’ Athletic Group her Senior year. She also attended Lasell Jr. College in Massachusetts where she continued her love of sports playing field hockey and basketball, and was the President of the Student Government her senior year. Following her graduation, she was an Administrative Assistant at the Dupont Company and worked at the Red Cross.

Although their parents had been close friends, including her mother being in Bill’s parents’ wedding, Nancy did not meet Bill until they were introduced on a blind date at the University of Delaware. They were married in 1951, lived their entire married lives in Wilmington and raised their five children together until his death in 1979. Nancy was always very proud of Bill’s service in WWII and the National Guard and his work at the Dupont Company in the Engineering Dept.

In addition to raising her five children, Nancy was very involved in volunteer work. She was a long-time member of the Jr. League of Wilmington, spent many hours helping at Winterthur and the American Red Cross and was a member of the Board at Kentmere Nursing Home. She continued her love of sports playing tennis and golf well into her 80’s at Wilmington Country Club, where she was a member for 85 years. She loved to travel and took many trips, including Europe, Alaska and the South Pacific. More frequently, she traveled south to her beloved Seabrook Island, SC where she would spend countless hours on the back porch reading her paper, drinking her very hot tea and making sure the golfers playing through knew she was there, in case they were even thinking of moving that ball to a better lie.

Nancy is survived by her five children, William IV (Cindy), James F. (Tammi), Barbara J. Hoover (John), Thomas G. (former spouse Lisa), and Allison A. Tobey (Ty). In addition she was blessed with and loved dearly her eight grandchildren and their spouses, Tierney Elizabeth Jautze (Billy), John William Hoover (Cassie), Lauren Anne Berl Brannen (Matt), James Lowell Berl, Caitlyn Elizabeth Berl, Thomas “Cameron” Berl, Margaret Anne “Meg” Tobey and Albert Keyes Tobey II. Her four great grandchildren were her “babies” and she loved every minute she spent with them. They are William “Ryder” Jautze, Carson Anne Jautze, John “Knox” Hoover and Paige Catherine Hoover. Nancy is also survived by her dearly loved brother W. Donald Chapman of Atlanta, GA and her sister-in-law Joan Roman Berl of Wilmington, DE and her many nieces, nephews from both her family and Bill’s. She loved them all dearly and shared many happy memories with each of them.

The family wishes to extend their most sincere thanks to all of her nurses and staff who provided such loving, compassionate care while she was in Stonegates Healthcare. She truly cared for each of them and would marvel at how gentle and compassionate they were with her. In addition, the family would like to thank her nurses and social worker from Accentcare who provided additional care and compassion in her final days.

In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested a contribution to the animal rescue of your choice.