Franklin S. Looney, Jr.

Frank passed away Saturday July 11, 2020 peacefully at home after a brief illness.

Frank was born in 1926 in Beaumont, Texas, son of Franklin S. Looney Sr. and Ruby McLain Looney.  Frank graduated from Beaumont High School in 1943 and attended Texas A&M University, taking leave to serve in the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946.  He graduated from A&M with a Masters in Chemical Engineering and attended University of Washington in Seattle for his doctorate in Chemistry.

While at the University, he met and married Catharine E. Worsfold from New Westminster, B.C., Canada who was also working on her doctoral degree.

Together they moved to Wilmington DE in 1954 to follow careers at E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co.  Frank worked in the textile fibers department, developing open-end spinning technology for the manufacture of Dacron fiber.  His work took him across the U.S. and to European and Asian textile centers, where he established many life-long friends.

Frank is predeceased by his parents, sister Dorothy Looney, wife Catharine, and daughter-in-law Alice.  He is survived by sons Michael F. Looney (Tanya) of Wilmington and John Patrick Looney of Rockville, MD; 5 grandchildren Elizabeth C. McGhee (Anthony McGhee), Alexandra C. Looney (Whitney Krape), Patrick S. “Sid” Looney (Lauren Looney) , Natalie E. Looney, and Juliana M. Looney; and his dearest friend and long-time companion Alyce Ellefson.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Food Bank of Delaware, 222 Lake Drive, Newark, DE 19702.  www.fbd.org.