LOPES — Glennda M. Lopes, revered as an unyieldingly positive, dedicated, and generous soul, was a kind, loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend. After a short illness, Glennda died on Nov. 25, 2024.
Glennda, the daughter of Glenn L. and Mary Ann Yetter, developed her first memories at the Yetter Family Farm in Neola, PA. This is where family gathered most holidays, a place Glennda always enjoyed. The family then moved to West Chester, PA.
Active during her school days, Glennda played goalie on the West Chester East Girls Club ice hockey team, field hockey, and trumpet in the school band. Glennda and brother Eric spent their summers swimming at the West End Gun Club and competing on the swim team.
Upon high school graduation from West Chester East in 1978, Glennda embraced the desire to travel and attended a Hospitality Management program in Florida. Upon return from her studies, Glennda immediately joined the workforce and began her career at Rosenbluth International ultimately becoming the Manager of Telecommunications.
She was always an asset to her teams professionally and was described by a colleague as a “mentor, protector, and collaborator”. Glennda was extremely knowledgeable and had the ability to compromise and enable everyone to feel at ease. Glennda always spoke well of others and was loved by colleagues and friends.
Glennda was looking forward to retiring from her position as a Telecommunications Operations Manager at University of Pennsylvania Health Systems/Penn Medicine to spend more time vacationing abroad and camping with her husband, Mark, and their dogs. She loved to travel. Some of her favorite places were Florence and Rome.
Glennda was a beautiful person in every way. She had a friendly, honest, funny, and sweet disposition. Glennda was a great cook, loved planning holiday meals and canning tomatoes grown in the garden she planted with Mark every year.
She was fond of socializing with friends and family over good food and drink in their lovely kitchen. We will all remember Glennda for her wit, charm, grace and especially her infectious laugh, caring and kindhearted smile!
She fiercely adored and protected her children and grandchildren in addition to her pets Apollo, Bill, Cookie, Shelby, all who loved her dearly.
Glennda is survived by her steadfast and devoted husband, Crispin “Mark.” She is also survived by her son, Crispin Martin, granddaughter Nicolette; son, Nicholas Glenn, and Daughter-in-Law Victoria Galvao de Franca Lopes, her brother Eric and sister-in-law Heidi Biggerstaff-Martin and their children Erica (Jesse), Andy (Keilah), and Zach (Nicole).
The family has asked that donations be made in Glennda’s memory to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by going to www.stjude.org.
“You belong among the wildflowers
You belong somewhere close to me
Far away from your trouble and worry
You belong somewhere you feel free”
Tom Petty, Wildflowers
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MALEY — Donald Patrick Maley, Sr., 88 of Woolwich Township passed away peacefully at home on Dec. 21, 2024.
Donald was born in Atlantic City, NJ. He retired after 33 years of service from Campbell Soup Co., Camden, NJ as the Senior Research Assistant involved in the research and development of thermal processing.
He loved to travel, living in other states and all parts of New Jersey before settling in Woolwich Township 10 years ago. He was an avid reenactor for the Civil and Revolutionary War. Donald was a member of the Second Penna. The 43rd of Foot and the 3rd NJ Calvary. He designed and fabricated reproductions of Civil War Drums and was the first to say, “My drums could not be beat”.
He was a creative man, molding and hand painting nativity sets. If he saw something he liked, he could reproduce it easily.
Donald is survived by his wife of 66 yrs., Gail (nee DeWan), his children, Mary Jo “Missy” (Ronald) Rumbaugh, Donald Jr., and Scott (Karen) Maley. His grandchildren, Donald III, Meghann Bernard, Shawn (Elizabeth), Cassandra (Benjamin) Stagge, Rachael and Sarah. Also, six 6 great-grandchildren. His sister, Barbara Martella and was predeceased by his brother Jack Maley. Contributions in his memory to Vitality Hospice, 218 W Broad St, Ste 2, Burlington NJ 08016 or Visiting Angels, 397 Bridgeton Pike, Mantua Twp. NJ 08051Would be appreciated.
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SPENCER — Charlotte Spencer, 91. Charlotte was a beautiful person inside and out. She could light up the room with blue eyes and her smile.
She met her husband, Paul, at Swedesboro High School as captain of the football team and cheerleaders. Paul told Charlotte he was going to marry her one day on the balcony at the high school, and that’s where their lives together began. They enjoyed dancing to the Bonsal Blues dance band, and their song was the Tennessee Waltz.
She was raised in a big family (one of eight Nickerson children) who has remained close throughout the years. The aunts, uncles, and 25 cousins were always together on weekends, holidays, and for many summer picnics. She had special relationships with friends from teaching first grade in Penns Grove, from the campground, and from the Lions Club.
Paul and Charlotte enjoyed traveling the world together. Her grandkids kept her active with regular school plays, cheerleading competitions, band competitions, and sporting events.
Charlotte and Paul would share a 53-year marriage blessed by three children: Lynne Swanfeld, LeeAnn Damask (Tad), and Layne Wilkins (John), and later by 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. She is survived by her siblings, Bill Nickerson (Karen), Rosie Shute, and Gertie.
Services were held at Daley Life Celebration Studio, Swedesboro.
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WHITAKER — William (Bill) Joseph Whitaker was born on May 20, 1934 in a sharecroppers house on Wolfert Station Road Clarksville, New Jersey. He was born to Florence (Shaw) and William H. Whitaker.
Grandpop Whitaker farmed the John Wolferth Farm for shares until hard times led him to sell his implements and move his family to Park Avenue, Swedesboro. This farm origin rooted deeply in young Bill’s blood creating a lifelong affection for farm environs.
Bill grew up in town through the latter stages of the Great Depression, WWII and the Korean Conflict, with rationed commodities and a growing list of gold star families in town. He graduated from Swedesboro High School in June 1953 with an Agricultural Designation.
Bill learned of an opportunity for adventure and signed with maritime services on commercial tankers transporting oil from Texas to refineries in the Philadelphia area. Staying connected with friends in Swedesboro brought Bill an opportunity to come home and join New Jersey Bell Telephone climbing poles and connecting telephones.
A phone company Christmas dance necessitated dance lessons leading him to meet the love of his life, Maggie Everline, who agreed to teach him how to dance. And dance they did for 67 years.
They were married on March 17, 1956 and left their Woodbury apartment in February 1957 for Fort Bragg, N.C. where Bill served in the U.S. Army, subsequent to Basic Training at Fort Dix, NJ. Bill was a specialist radio operator in the 168th Signal Company, 3rd Army Missile Command, in Fort Bragg, NC. His training in radio communications was a good fit as he grew his career with New Jersey Bell Telephone Company (now Verizon).
Bill worked his way up through the company, as a craftsman, supervisor and ultimately manager. He would spend nearly 40 years with “Ma Bell”.
Bill and Maggie built their first home on Sherwin Road in Harrison Township. Bill turned their modest property into a sanctuary, nurturing gardens of perennials, flowering azaleas and rhododendrons interspersed with tunnels and manholes dug by rambunctious boys they lovingly raised. Bill was active in Richwood Church Men’s Class, (participation in which was a prerequisite for…) a fast pitch softball player in the Methodist Church league and eventually Sunday School Superintendent.
Bill loved raising beagles and training hunting dogs for rabbit hunting season. He and his sons enjoyed many fall Saturdays with the Heiligs, Neales and Reuters “running rabbits”. He was a member of the Louis Reuter Deer Club in Woodbine and deer hunted annually with the same group of Richwood friends. In fairer weather, he engaged his sea legs fishing with the whole family in Sea Isle City or the Delaware Bay.
Bill gave back to his community through civic service. He was a member of the Pitman Jaycees leading many fundraising efforts and served on the Clearview Regional School District Board Education, as President from 1978-1980. He and Maggie were always in the stands at sporting events supporting Bill Jr and Tom, under any and all conditions.
An opportunity to retire from New Jersey Bell came in 1991. Bill and Maggie sold the place on Sherwin Road and moved to a smoky mountain property in western North Carolina. There they shared an adventure of building a house on the side of their mountain positioned beautifully above the morning smokey mists for which the region takes its name. They enjoyed six years on their North Carolina farm before settling in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia until 2018.
Recent years found Bill and beloved wife Maggie in an assisted living community in Seaford, Delaware. Declining health took Marguerite in January 2024. Though suffering from Parkinson’s Disease and dementia, Bill stayed engaged these last few months with staff and family in the time since losing Maggie.
With his children by his side, Bill joined Maggie on Friday January 3, 2025. Bill was 90 years old.
William Joseph Whitaker is preceded in death by his wife, Marguerite, and sister, Lydie May Nelson, parents Florence and William H. Whitaker. He is survived by her sons, William Whitaker Jr (Kathy) of Delaware, Thomas Whitaker (Drury) of Virginia and grandchildren, Mary Kay Baldwin, William Whitaker III, Emily Willey, Colin Whitaker, and Mason Whitaker. Bill also had the joy of nine great grandchildren.
Interment at Lake Park Cemetery 701 Park Ave, Swedesboro.
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WELLS — Charles Wells, 79. Charlie had many a career including soldier, police officer and investigator for the Attorney General. He lived his life in service to others through his careers, involvement in his community and his church. His military ways shaped him as a father; but the result was quality kids.
Of course, as a grandfather he softened up quite a bit: sometimes more of a father, sometimes their Uber and sometimes their coach. Ever present on the sidelines, he was there helping out. He might not have known a lot about their sports in the beginning but by the end he knew as much as anyone.
He was the founder of the VFW Post 10886 and probably its most dedicated member. Commander Wells was a steadfast supporter of Kingsway. He was a familiar face at the Annual Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day Programs, a mentor to students through the annual Patriot Pen Contest, and a passionate advocate for youth development.
Charlie loved to eat. The hotter the food, the better. His head would sweat, and he pushed through a meal. Always ice cream for dessert.
He was often seen around Swedesboro walking his pit bulls. He especially loved training them though they were known to only obey Charlie. In his music tastes he was an old soul, partial to the music a generation before him, especially jazz.
He cheered for the Eagles and the Phils. Opening day found him taking his whole family. Charlie couldn’t sit still in retirement and spent the last years as a driver for THG Transport.
He was born in California (military brat), raised in Philadelphia and lived in Swedesboro where he was honored this year as Christmas Parade Marshall.
A pretty girl named Patricia Keith was working in an office when Charlie swaggered in to see his friend. The two would hit it off, mainly because of his cool looking boots, and they’d embark on a 39 year marriage.
He is survived by his children, Stephen Keith and Kim (David Haines) Aureli; grandchildren, Leah, Ellablair, Landon, Levi and Conner and siblings, Pat Wells, Robert Wells, Judy Wetzel, Dennis Wells and Vicky Wells.
Donations in lieu of flowers to VFW Post 10886, 118 Gentry Drive, Woolwich NJ 08085 will be appreciated.
Charlie’s many accomplishments:
Charles Wells has been a member of the VFW since 1991. He became a “Life Member-At-Large” in 2004, and a member of Harrison/Woolwich VFW Post 10886, District 13, Gloucester County, New Jersey, in April of 2014. Charles became the Commander of Post 10886 in April of 2015. He is the current NJ District 13 Chaplain (2019 to present) and served as the VFW Department of New Jersey State Chaplain (2021 – 2023)
Charles joined the United States Army in February 1965 as a Communication Specialist with the Army Security Agency (ASA). During his service with ASA, Charles was stationed at Clark AFB, Philippines and Tan Son Nhut AFB, Vietnam. Charles left the Army in January 1968 and re-enlisted in the Army Reserve in September 1977.
From 1977 to 1992, Charles served with the 304th Civil Affairs Group located in Northeast Philadelphia. During that period, he served as the Communications NCOIC, Law and Public Safety NCOIC, and the HHD First Sergeant.
In 1990, the unit was activated and served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During Desert Storm, Charles serviced as the NCOIC of Khobar Towers, a housing complex near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and King Abdulaziz Air Base that housed approximately 44,000 US Troops.
From September 1992 to August of 1998, Charles served with the 404th Civil Affairs BN (FID/UW) (ABN) located first in Trenton, New Jersey, and then Fort Dix, New Jersey. While with the 404th, he served as the Detachment Sergeant of “Charlie and Alpha” Detachments.
During this time frame, he was deployed to Germany, Albania and Italy with members of 10th Special Force Group (ABN) and the Air Forces’ 52ndMedical Group (MDSS), Spangdahlem Air Force Base, Germany.
From August of 1998 thru July of 2001, Charles was assigned to a 3rd Bn CA/5th Bde, 98th Division (IT) a Civil Affairs Training Unit (John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School, Fort Bragg, NC) in Edison, New Jersey, as a Senior Instructor Course Writer. In July, 2001, he was promoted to First Sergeant and assigned to 2/309th TSB at Fort Dix.
Charles retired from the Army in October, 2005. Charles’ Military wards, include, among others, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service medal, the Army Commendation Medal with 2 OL, the Army Achievement Medal, w/11 OL, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, w/ 2 bronze stars, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Kuwait Medal for the liberation of Kuwait.
Charles was employed by the State of New Jersey from 1984 to 2011. He was assigned to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement as an Agent/Investigator (1984/1993) and the Division of Criminal Justice as a Police Detective (1993/2011). Charles retired from the State of New Jersey with 27 years of service in November 2011.
Charles is currently a member of the Swedesboro/Woolwich Joint Environmental Commission.
