Paul B. Vernon, 82,
of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania died peacefully in his sleep on Dec. 30. Paul was
born in Charlotte, N.C. in 1928, and spent his childhood in the state living
with his parents William Edward Vernon and Caroline Welling Vernon.
Before enrolling
in the US Navy in January 1945 at the age of 17, Paul attended Warren Wilson
College in Swannanoa, N.C. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1946,
after which he graduated in 1949 from Tri-State College in Angola, In. with a
bachelor degree in civil engineering. He worked for the Indiana State Highway
Department until 1950 when he was drafted into the US Army at the outbreak of
the Korean War. The majority of his time in the Army was spent creating
topographic maps in the Philippines.
Following his
honorable discharge from the Army in 1952, Paul began a long career with the
DuPont Company. Initially involved in the construction of the nuclear facility,
the Savannah River Plant, in S.C. Paul worked in a variety of positions of
increasing responsibility in construction, fire and safety, and employee
relations. His last position in DuPont was as employee relations manager in the
Polymer Products Department in Wilmington, from which he took early retirement
in 1985.
Paul met the love
of his life, Laura “Bobbee” Vernon in Aiken, South Carolina in 1952, and they
were married in April 1953. Paul and Bobbee have three children, Alan, Laura
and Susan.
The measure of
Paul’s life is much more than his work, and though he had professional
experiences as a construction engineer, safety specialist, nuclear engineer,
personnel manager and business consultant in addition to two tours in the
military, Paul was dedicated to family, church and community. Paul coached
little league baseball, served as president of the Faulk Road and Brandywine
High School PTAs, was president of the Board of Trustees of the Children’s Home
of Delaware, and chair of the chaplaincy committee for Sleighton School for
Delinquent Youth.
Paul also spent
many years as moderator of the Brandywine Baptist Church in Chadds Ford, Pa.
From 2004 until 2009, Paul also served on the Chadds Ford Planning Commission.
Paul B. Vernon is
survived by his wife, Laura “Bobbee” Vernon, his son, Paul Alan Vernon and his
wife Hong-Bich Huynh Vernon and their sons Paul and James, his daughter Laura
Vernon Russell and her husband Ronald Russell and their son Micah, and his
daughter Susan Vernon Rivenbark, and her husband Jeff Rivenbark. Paul is also
survived by his sister Louise E. Hamby, his niece Carole Summey and nephew
William Hamby and his wife Nancy and daughter Carrie.
A Celebration of
the Life of Paul B. Vernon will be held at Brandywine Baptist Church, 1463
Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA 19317 on Tuesday, Jan. 4 at 2 p.m. Friends of
the family are invited to come at 1:30 p.m. to spend time with the family prior
to the Service. Paul Vernon will be buried directly after the Service in the
Brandywine Baptist Church Cemetery.
In lieu of
flowers, the Vernon Family suggests that memorial contributions be made
directly to Brandywine Baptist Church.
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