Ward Nicholas Kissell Jr., 88, of Pennsbury Township, died Friday, March 31, at Neighborhood Hospice in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He was the husband of Dorothy Cobb Kissell, his beloved wife, with whom he shared 38 years of marriage.
Born in Evans Mill, N.Y., he was the son of the late Ward Nicholas and the late Irene Helen (Van Dusen) Kissel. He was also preceded in death by his brother, George Marshall Kissell of St. Petersburg, Fla. In addition to his cherished wife Dorothy, survivors include three sons and three daughters, 16 grandchildren, and 25 great-grandchildren.
Mr. Kissell graduated with a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from Clarkson College in 1948. He played shortstop on his college baseball team, where a love of baseball was instilled in him. He had an illustrious 37-year career with the DuPont Company. His last position was as licensing manager, International Operations, Explosives Division. Ward traveled extensively around the world for DuPont. He was very well respected by his many business associates and peers and maintained friendships long after his retirement.
Ward and Dottie enjoyed entertaining friends in the “Little Horse Tavern” in their home. He kept a visitor book for friends who stopped by and even let visiting pets leave their paw prints in the book. After retirement, Ward and his treasured Dottie enjoyed cruises to the Caribbean and vacationing at Cape May Point on the Jersey Shore. He loved golf and skeet shooting. A lifelong Saint Louis Cardinals fan, he made a hobby of collecting Cardinals memorabilia.
In his later years, he became a self-taught artist and relished the camaraderie of fellow artists in the Chadds Ford area. Ward and Dottie shared a love of animals. Over the years their home, Hickory Hill Farm, was a safe haven for many animals: Banjo the horse, who sat on the fence; Joshua the goat; Daisy, Daffy, and Duey the Peking ducks; Madame Lee and Madame Wong the geese; Wilamena the pig; Cooper the Rottweiler; Muffin the black lab; Tracker, Wolf, and Cinder, large mixed breed dogs; and Beardog the golden retriever. Plus peacocks, chickens, horses, and many felines.
As James Lee Burke wrote in his book “Feast of Fools,” “The wisdom a man learns in this world is that his life experience is ultimately his sole possession. It is the measure of his worth as a human being, the sum offering to the hand that created him, and the ticket he carries with him into eternity.” Ward had extraordinary experiences and earned many tickets. His humble, gentle kindness touched countless people over the years, and he will be dearly missed by his many friends and those of us who consider him family.
You are invited to visit with Ward’s family and friends from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, at the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home Inc. (610-444-4116) 250 W. State St. Kennett Square, PA 19348. A memorial service celebrating his life will follow at 7. Interment will be held privately. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Chester County SPCA, 1212 Phoenixville Pike West Chester PA 19380. To view his online tribute and to share a memory with his family, please visit www.griecocares.com
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