Richard Edward Van Deursen

Richard Edward Van Deursen, age 76, of Hockessin passed away on July 15, 2022 after a long and valiant battle with cancer. He was born in New Brunswick, NJ, son of the late John Henry Van Deursen and Dorothy Rodney Van Deursen, and was the beloved husband of Dorothy Wharton Van Deursen.

Richard was a man who liked his cars washed and his lawn mowed. He and Dorothy took great pride in their home and maintained it with love and care – from the landscaping, to the self-taught repairs, to the objects they decorated with, including special pieces they acquired from antique auctions and shows.

Richard met Dorothy when they both worked at the Hercules Country Club and married in 1983. They were devoted to each other and enjoyed their many shared hobbies, including canoeing, antiquing, and American history. Richard always looked forward to visiting their favorite places together, including Boothbay Harbor, ME, Williamsburg, VA, and Ocean City, MD. Richard was an amateur photographer with a life-long love of film cameras.

Richard loved nothing more than when his family all gathered. He took pleasure in the rituals of Thanksgiving dinners and loved to make pancakes and french toast for everyone to eat around the table for “family breakfast.”

Richard attended Rochester Institute of Technology and graduated from Goldey Beacom College in Wilmington. His career was in finance and management. He was Plant Controller for Hercules Inc. in Kenvil, NJ, then transferred to Wilmington, DE as Accounting Supervisor. He retired from the State of Delaware as the Unemployment Insurance Account Management Supervisor. Richard served in the United States Air Force in North Dakota and Alaska.

In addition to his wife, Richard is survived by his children Alison Lee Van Deursen and Aaron Richard Van Deursen (Michelle), his brother, Rodney Van Deursen (Nancy), as well as nieces and extended family.