Helen S. Brush

Helen S. Brush, a resident of Cutchogue, NY and more recently of Oxford, passed away February 7, 2025 at Chester County Hospital in West Chester. She was 92.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Edward Brush.

She was the daughter of Stephen A. and Helen A. Sledjeski, and was born in Greenport, NY  along with her sister Ann and brother Stephen (Sonny).

Helen received her degree in education from Marywood University, Scranton, Pa., and went on to get her master’s degree from Stony Brook University. She taught social studies in the Mattituck-Cutchogue School District for more than 30 years and was passionate about connecting her students with American history.

She was first and foremost dedicated to her faith and family and was a member of Sacred Heart Church in Oxford, and formerly of Our Lady of Ostrabrama, Cutchogue, NY.

Helen is survived by six children, Edward (Terry) Brush, Helen (Mark) Kipps, Stephen (Joanne) Brush, Mary Anna (Len) Leo, Mark (Christine) Brush and Peter (Kelly) Brush, 13 grandchildren, Robert Kipps, Matthew Kipps, Rachel Kipps, Stephen Brush, Cassandra Brush, Angela Schofield, Thomas Chebuske Jr., Amanda Brush, David Brush, Caitlin Brush, Sarah Brush, Peter Brush, and Annie Brush, and eight great-grandchildren, Jamie, Ryan, Adrian, Stephen, Frankie, Matteo, Koda, and Emery. 

A mass of Christian burial was celebrated on February 17 at Sacred Heart Church in Oxford.

Interment will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Cutchogue, NY at a later date.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. (www.elcollinsfuneralhome.com) in Oxford.

Robert Wax Mark

Robert Wax Mark, of Chadds Ford, passed away at the age of 81 on February 6, 2025. 

He was the spouse of Robina Mark, with whom he shared 39 years of marriage. 

Born in Wilmington, Del., he was a son of the late Ben Mark and Beatrice (Wax) Mark. 

Robert grew up in Wilmington, Del. as part of a large extended family. He spent summers with his beloved grandmother and extended family on Schroon Lake in upstate New York. 

Robert received a bachelors degree with honors in English Literature from the University of Pittsburgh. He was the longtime president of Wax Furniture, one of the largest and most innovative furniture retailers of its time. He later pursued other consulting and entrepreneurial opportunities in the furniture industry. 

Robert appreciated beautiful things and spent much of his life collecting art and antiques from around the world. He enjoyed traveling and connecting with people from different backgrounds. His travels took him through Europe, Asia, and South America. He felt at peace in nature and enjoyed gardening, walking in the woods, birds, and thunderstorms. He was a man of ideas who was constantly reading, thinking, and learning. 

He will be remembered for always asking, “What’s the meaning of life?” He encouraged everyone to live a life of reflection. He was often ahead of his time in his ideas, fashion, and tastes. He was a creator at heart and expressed himself through his original designs and his writings. Robert will be remembered as a family man. 

In addition to his wife, he is survived by three children, Bruce Mitchell, Scott Mitchell, and Stephanie Mitchell, two nieces, Jeanette Hansen and Kaite Mark, three daughters-in-law Caren Wu, Kacie Mitchell, and Lish Simpson, one nephew-in-law Kevin Hansen, three grandchildren, Emily Mitchell, Shawn Mitchell, Aubrey Mitchell, two grandnephews Matt Hansen and Ryan Hansen, two siblings Stephen Mark and Andrew Mark, sister-in-law Catherine Blackley and her partner Gary Dunn, and many friends around the world. 

Service and interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the local public television station WHYY at support.whyy.org/page/donate.

Arrangements are being handled by Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-734-8100) of Kennett Square. 

To view Robert’s online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.griecofunerals.com. 

Gerald Glenn Thornton

Gerald Glenn Thornton, age 69, of Avondale, passed away on February 7, 2025 while surrounded by his loving family after a very courageous battle with brain cancer. 

He was the husband of Barbara (Leck) Thornton, with whom he shared 48 wonderful years of marriage. 

Born in Phoenixville, he was the son of the late George Frank Thornton and Lenore Rittenbaugh Thornton, also of Phoenixville. 

Gerald graduated from Phoenixville Area High School in 1973. He retired from Chester County Prison after 35 years.  He loved his family, friends, golf, and traveling.   He will be remembered for being the life of the party, the first one on the dance floor, and last one off. 

In addition to his wife, Barbara Leck Thornton and his mother, Lenora Thornton, he is survived by daughters, Rebecca Thornton Hochhaus, wife of Michael, Jennifer Thornton McPhillips, wife of Patrick, and Katie Thornton Tihansky, wife of John.

Also surviving are nine beautiful grandchildren, Mackenzy, Michael, Alexa, Madison, Nicholas, Zachery, Grace, Christopher, and Penelope, brothers, George Thornton, Brian Thornton; sister, Sharon Schiele; and many more family and friends. 

You are invited to visit with Gerry’s family and friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at the Episcopal Church of the Advent, 401 North Union St. Kennett Square. A memorial service celebrating his life will follow at 11 a.m.

Interment will be held privately. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Lymphoma Foundation of America. www.lymphomahelp.org.

Arrangements are being handled by Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-734-8100) of Kennett Square. To view Gerry's online obituary and leave a tribute, please visit www.griecofunerals.com.

Nancy Haldeman Olson

Nancy Elizabeth Haldeman Ramsey Olson passed away on January 18, 2025 at Chester County Hospital. 

She was the daughter of the late John Henry Haldeman and the late Lillian Blakeley Richardson Zierach. 

Nancy was a graduate of Kennett High School’s class of 1953. She attended the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a degree in nursing in 1957. In 1962 she moved back to Kennett Square. During the 1960s, Nancy worked at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She worked in the blood bank and was instrumental in developing a program of fresh frozen plasma and cryoprecipitate for the treatment of hemophilia. She created the first dedicated IV team at CHOP and was so skilled that she was among those responsible for starting IVs for preemies. Nancy also taught the parents of hemophilia patients how to do home infusion, freeing them of the burden of hospital visits every time therapy was needed. When she left CHOP for the blood bank at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, she was part of the team that developed white cell pheresis to capture white cells for treatment of leukemia. 

In the 1970s, Nancy left nursing and the daily commutes to Philadelphia to be closer to home and to have more time with her two teenage boys. She joined the Haldeman family wholesale business, J.G. Haldeman & Bro., in Chadds Ford. In addition to her HR and accounting duties, she also started a kitchen to prepare food for the associated retail shop, the White Barn Seafood Shop, and to do catering. 

Later in the 1970s she met the man that would be the love of her life, Jon Olson. Nancy and Jon married in 1983 and had wonderful years together until Jon passed in 2014. Together they worked Nancy’s catering events, which was moonlighting for Jon from his days as a chemical engineering professor at the University of Delaware. 

After the family business closed in 1992, Nancy focused on activities closer to home. She had a passion for gardening and orchids. At one point she had a collection of more than 100 orchid plants. She was an active member of Spade and Trowel Garden Club. Jon and Nancy were active participants in the Spade and Trowel entries at the Philadelphia Flower Show. Nancy was also a coordinator of the Kennett Library Home and Garden Tours for many years. 

Nancy and Jon moved to Jenners Pond in the late 2000s. They were passionate members of the Pub at Jenners Pond. Nancy eventually became the Pub treasurer. She was also a longtime member of the dining committee and a frequent clerk in the Heron’s Nest shop. 

Nancy is survived by brother, Paul (and his wife, Janet); sister, Jane (and her husband, Richard); son, Chris (and his partner, Roz); stepson, Eric (and his wife, Beatriz); stepdaughter, Kirsten (and her husband, Alan); stepdaughter, Greta; 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. 

A memorial service will be held on March 1, 2025 at Lower Brandywine Presbyterian Church, 101 Old Kennett Road, Centerville, Del., with family greeting from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. and a service following at 2 p.m.  

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Great House at Loch Nairn, 514 McCue Road, Avondale, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. A buffet will be served. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Kennett Library of Chester County kennettlibrary.org/donate/;  the Brandywine Valley Hemophilia Foundation brandywinehemophilia.org/donate; or the Kennett Amateur Theatrical Society callkats.org/donations. 

Arrangements are being handled by the Grieco Funeral Home Inc. (484-734-8100) of Kennett Square.  

To view Nancy's online tribute and to share a memory with her family, please visit www.griecofunerals.com. 

Jerome Timothy Scafe

Jerome Timothy “Tim” Scafe, of Nottingham, passed away February 11, 2025 at Christiana Care Hospital in Elkton, Md., with his loving family by his side. He was 62.

Born in Wilmington, Del. on July 10, 1962, he was the son of the late Jewel Edda Hensley Scafe and Elton Gerald Scafe. 

He met Virginia Lee McNatt, the love of his life, at the age of 13, and after dating for five years, they were married. 

Tim led a fully active life, enjoying the company of his friends and family. Always outgoing and friendly, Tim made an indelible impression on everyone he met. His outrageous sense of humor, contagious laugh and generous spirit showed his love for life. Family functions could not be complete without Tim, and he was always very happy to oblige. 

He was a member of Nottingham Missionary Baptist Church and enjoyed the functions, especially those with food.

Tim started working at the age of 13, taking a bus from his school to another to help the janitor. He developed his work ethics from his late guardians, Betty and Bill Perry, his aunt and uncle. After high school, Tim went to work for Hyponex in Oxford. Tim would go on to remain in the industry for 44 years. He was OSHA-certified in welding, heavy equipment and safety. 

At the request of a friend, he went to work at Earth-Gro in Kaolin. Earth-Gro moved to Avondale after purchasing property, having only a mushroom house and a house. Tim and a few other employees built the plant that is now known as Scott’s of Avondale.

Tim owned his salvage yard business Powerline Auto from 1982 to present, helping folks with whatever he could do, mostly with little to no financial benefit but a tremendous amount of satisfaction. 

Tim held several other positions, including at Johnson Control, Wesley’s, and Summitt Aviation, and he sometimes worked two jobs at a time to provide for his family, His favorite part-time position was setting monuments for Sartin Memorials. 

Fishing, boating, camping, NASCAR, and NHRA, gave Tim great pleasure, and helping to raise 33 children in need of care, mostly teens, was both a joy and a chore for him.

Tim is predeceased by both of his parents and guardians, his siblings, Edward Scafe, Randy Scafe, and Lorretta Dawn Scafe Shaw Buckland.

Tim is survived by his wife, Virginia, a daughter, Jewel Betty Lee Scafe, Deputy Jennings (James A.J. and ex Christopher) and a son Jerome Timothy Scafe II, grandchildren Colin Jacob Deputy, Jerome Timothy Scafe III, Addison Lee Scafe, Elijah Scafe, a brother, Barry Scafe, and an uncle John Stevens.

Those left to remember him include those he has loved and helped throughout his life including, but not limited to, all of the children in his life as well as nieces, nephews, cousins, stepbrothers and sisters, cousins, dear friends and in-laws.

Funeral services were held on February 17 at Nottingham Missionary Baptist Church.

Interment will be in Fremont Cemetery, Nottingham.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to help cover expenses to the  Edward Collins Funeral Home.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc. in Oxford. 

John Thomas Hilferty, II

John Thomas Hilferty, II, of West Grove, passed away suddenly on February 13, 2025. He was 43 years old.  

Born in West Chester, he was the son of late John Thomas Hilferty, I and Debora Jane Frank.

 John worked as a heavy equipment operator for Buck Frank Excavating Company and Stephens Excavating Company.  He enjoyed hunting, fishing, working on his F350 and, most of all, being with his boys, John, III and Jason.

John is survived by his beloved sons, John, III and Jason; his mother, Debora Jane Frank Young; a sister, Samantha Wood; a nephew, Steven Miller and many extended family and friends. He was predeceased by his father, John Thomas Hilferty, I; his brother, Daniel Hilferty and grandparents, Elizabeth and Albert Frank, May and James Hilferty.

Celebration of life services may be announced at a future date.

Please consider, in lieu of flowers, a donation to the family or charity of your choice.

www.longwoodfuneralhome.com.