Susan Lee Mattson-James, age 65, of Bear, Delaware, passed away on November 15, 2025. Born in West Grove, Pennsylvania, to the late John and the late Rhoda Mattson, she was a devoted wife and mother who loved crafting and flamingoes.
Susan Mattson-James
She grew up in Landenberg and attended Avon Grove High School. After graduating, Sue worked for several companies, including at DEFCO, Amazon, and as an Overnight Inventory Control Specialist for Toys “R” Us and Dollar General. Sue’s greatest joy came from spending time with her family. Some of her fondest memories were of family vacations spent at Chincoteague Island and at Cherrystone Campground in Maryland. Sue was an exceptional cook and baker who passed on her love of baking to her son, Jarett. Her homemade bread, cookies, and pies were legendary with her family, friends, and in her neighborhood.
She is survived by her husband, William “Spencer” James; their son, Jarett D. James and his partner, Kyle A. Rutherford; her brother, William J. Mattson; her in-laws and nieces and nephews; as well as a vast network of friends who became family. She was predeceased in death by her father, Walter J. Mattson; mother, Rhoda M. Gift Mattson; brothers, Walter G. Mattson and Charles D. Mattson; and her beloved daughter, Jenna Rose James.
A celebration of Sue’s life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 1 p.m. at Faith Baptist Church, 4210 Limestone Rd, Wilmington, DE 19808. Interment will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the American Cancer Society. www.cancer.org
Arrangements are by Matthew Grieco of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc., Kennett Square (484-734-8100). To view her online tribute or share a memory with her family, please visit www.griecofunerals.com.
Gianna Renee Negron, 19, of West Grove, died on Sunday, Nov. 16, at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington.
Gianna Negron
“G” was a bright light in the lives of everyone who knew her. A student at DCCC, she was not only a dedicated learner but also a brave warrior who faced her battle with cancer for the second time with remarkable courage and grace. Despite her struggles, she always managed to greet the world with a smile that could brighten even the darkest days.
She was a kind, strong, compassionate young woman. Gianna was a firm believer in finding enjoyment in the simple pleasures of life. Her love for life was evident in her many passions. “G” enjoyed building LEGO’s, reading, gaming, dancing, listening to music, spending time with her family, cuddling up with her nine cats, and sharing lots of laughs with her close cousins.
Gianna’s kindness, humor, and warmth touched the hearts of many. She inspired everyone around her with her bravery and resilience, leaving an indelible mark on their lives. To know Gianna was to love her, and she will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate enough to have her in their lives.
Gianna is survived by her mother, Shawna Best (Kevin), and her father, Jose Negron (Dana); her sisters, Ariana Washington and Lilianna Negron; her Grandparents, Carolyn Best (Cody), Michael Best, Luz Davila, and Jose Negron Sr.
Family and friends will gather to celebrate and honor the life of “G”, with music, love, and laughter on Tuesday, November 25th, 2025, at The Christian Life Center, 125 Saginaw Road, Lincoln University, from 10 -11 a.m., and a ceremony service will follow at 11. Interment will be held privately.
Janice Marie Young, 88, of Nottingham, died on Thursday, Nov. 13, at Pocopson Home in West Chester. She was the spouse of the late Clarence Young. Born in Chester, PA, she was a daughter of the late Robert Campbell and the late Helen Mahoney Campbell.
Janice Marie Young
In her spare time, Janice enjoyed shopping, camping, and spending time at the beach, especially Cape May, N.J. She and her husband also had a house in Chincoteague, Va., and created many happy memories there.
Janice is survived by her daughter, Sharon Young, and her partner, Pam Fanelli; her granddaughter, Janna Proud, and her husband, Richard; and her great-grandchildren, Olivia, Emma, and Savanna. In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by her son, Gregory Young, and her sisters, Grace, Harriet, and Joyce.
Service and interment will be held privately. Contributions in her memory may be made to the Center for Dementia Research www.cdr.rfmh.org.
Arrangements are by Matthew Grieco of Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-734-8100). To view her online obituary, please visit www.griecofunerals.com
PennDOT has announced the following weather-dependent road projects that could affect drivers in the greater Chadds Ford area from Road Report for Nov. 24 to Nov. 28. Motorists are urged to allow extra time traveling through one of the construction zones. Work schedules are subject to change.
•Tree clearing continues on Creek Road between Route 1 and Upper Bank Road in Chadds Ford Township through Dec. 5.
•Paving will cause weekday lane closures on High Street between University Avenue and Sharpless Street in West Chester Borough and West Goshen Township through Dec. 1.
•Tree trimming will cause daytime lane closures on Ridge Road between Raven Drive and Rocky Hill Road in Chadds Ford Township through Nov. 28.
•Tree trimming will cause daytime lane closures on Route 1 between Commons Court and Fairville Road in Pennsbury Township through Nov. 28
•Concrete pour will cause a lane closure on Route 1 between Creek and Rings roads in Chadds Ford Township through Nov. 28.
•Overhead utility construction will continue, causing daytime lane shifts on Route 1 between the Kennett Oxford Bypass and Walnut Street in Kennett Township through the end of the year.
•Utility installation will cause daytime lane closures on Route 926 at its intersection with River Bend Road in East Marlborough Township through Nov. 24.
•PECO has announced that it will be doing utility construction on Wylie Terrace Road in Birmingham Township from Sept. 22 through Dec. 22. The work will cause daytime closures. During the closure, motorists will be directed to use Birmingham Road, New Street, Brintons Bridge Road, and Route 100 (Creek Road).
•Saw cutting for utilities will cause daytime lane closures at Routes 202 and 926 in Westtown Township through Nov. 28.
•Utility construction will cause daytime lane shifts on Conchester Highway at Foulk Road in Concord Township through Nov. 27.
•Kennett Square is reporting that the Birch Street Reconstruction Project is scheduled to end in the spring of 2026. During this time, Birch Street will experience rolling road closures where one or both lanes of traffic may be closed for a few hundred feet at a time. In general, the road will be open to local traffic, and road closures will be minimized as much as possible. When both lanes of traffic need to be closed for construction activities, access will be available on both sides of Birch Street, from South Broad Street and South Walnut Street.
•Overhead utility construction will cause daytime lane shifts on Route 52 between the Kennett/Oxford Bypass and Old Baltimore Pike and between Baltimore Pike and Cossart Road in Kennett Township through Dec. 31.
•Overhead utility work will also cause daytime lane shifts on Baltimore Pike between the Kennett/Oxford Bypass and Walnut Street in Kennett Township through the end of the year.
•Continuing through early November, motorists should expect daytime lane closures in both directions on Route 1 between the Kennett Oxford Bypass and Greenwood Road in Kennett and East Marlborough townships. The closures are to facilitate widening that 1.3-mile stretch of roadway to three lanes in both directions.
David Kelleher of David Dodge is again working with City Team Ministries in the annual Adopt-a-Child program for Christmas. This marks Kelleher’s 18th year.
It began with 70 coats and is now an annual charity. That was 18 years ago. It’s David Kelleher’s Adopt-a-Child, an annual Christmas charity that Kelleher works with City Team Ministries
Last year, the Adopt-a-Child program helped 1,067 get gifts from Santa, and Kelleher said he’s hoping to beat that this year. But let’s go back to when the story began.
“My first year in business was in 2005,” said Kelleher, who owns David Dodge on Route 202 in Chadds Ford. “The next year, I got involved in the coat program, and I thought I was a big shot because I bought 70 coats. I called [then] state Sen. Pileggi, and I asked him where I could give the oats away. Without hesitation, he said ‘City Team Ministries.”
Kelleher said he then went down to City Team and put the coats on some of the children, and was severely touched.
“And I was just blown away. It affected me in a way that I had never been affected before. I didn’t realize the need. It’s only 12 miles away from the dealership where people are really struggling. I looked at the people who ran City Team Ministries and asked what else I could do. That year, we bought a palette of mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, and we began to get involved with the Adopt-a-Child program.”
That was 2007. In that first year, Kelleher said he guaranteed to City Team that he would 100 children at $50 per child. And that has grown.
“Last year, we were able to, between us and our community, our clients and our team here, we were able to adopt 1,067 children,” he said.
This year, Kelleher told City Team that he would personally help 600 kids, guaranteed.
“That means that if nobody else helped, I would take care of the 600 children. But our community is amazing, and people will step up if you present correctly and tell them the need. People have wonderful hearts, and they really step up.”
Some of the outsiders who help out are Philadelphia professional athletes. He mentioned Eagles lineman Landon Dickerson, telling the story of how Dickerson helped out last year.
“He and his wife said, ‘We don’t want to give you money, we want to shop for the kids.’ They took a list of 20 kids’ names with their wish list, and they shopped personally, and I bet they brought back toys for 40 kids. They said it was the best time they ever had.”
While Dickerson was the only one Kelleher referenced, he said there are nine Eagles and two 76ers involved, including 76ers head coach Nick Nurse.
Kelleher said his customers react well to the program. But so do people who have no connection with David Auto.
“We’ll get notes from 100 or maybe 200 people who say, ‘I’ll shop for a child, or I’ll donate. These are people who have no affiliation with the dealership. They just hear about the cause, and they rally themselves.”
Kelleher said City Team Ministries has about 5,000 or so kids on their list, but Kelleher is fairly confident that his dealership’s efforts will break the 1,067 record of last year.
“We’re really focused on hoping to get at least 1,100 kids adopted this year,” he said.
The way the program works is that people can simply donate cash — $75 — or a toy or two, or they get the name of a child with his or her wish list on what they want Santa to bring them. Then, the person shops for that child and brings the toy, doll, bike, or whatever to the dealership. If it’s a cash donation, Kelleher and his staff will do the shopping. The gifts are wrapped and taken to City Team Ministries, who then get the gifts to the families, and the kids think they’re from Santa.
Kelleher said it’s more than just. A Dave effort. His whole team is involved with the service guys putting together bikes and the girls doing the shopping when cash donations come in. But more than that, it’s the community.
“I can guarantee 600 kids and I can pay for that, but it’s more than just helping the kids, it’s rallying the community to do something great, to join together and make each other better…If we help each other out, I think when we get to the pearly gates, God will say you did good.”
•Celebrate the season with Longwood Gardens’ tradition of its whimsical and wonderful Garden Railway. It’s a fanciful blend of horticulture, engineering, and fun, and Garden Railway is turning 25 this year. Celebrate 25 years of this display located outdoors near the Beer Garden. The collection of large-scale model trains includes steam, diesel, electric, and specialty engines that rumble along nearly 500 feet of track amid textural foliage, flowering plants, and woody plants. It’s free with garden admission. The display runs through Jan. 11.
West Chester University’s Department of Theatre & Dance presents Little Women, The Broadway Musical, on Nov. 20–23
•West Chester University’s Department of Theatre & Dance presents Little Women, The Broadway Musical, on Nov. 20–23. Based on Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel, this musical adaptation brings to life the enduring story of the March sisters—Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy—as they navigate growing up during the Civil War era. Performances take place in the MainStage Theatre, E.O. Bull Center for the Arts, 2 East Rosedale Avenue, West Chester. Performance times are Thursday, Nov. 20 – Saturday, Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 23 at 2 p.m. General admission tickets range from $14–$24, with discounts available for students and seniors with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased online at www.wcupatix.com/theatreanddance.
Chester County History Center’s Season of Lights is Sunday, Nov. 30.
•Chester County’s community brings together a multitude of cultures, traditions, and heritages. This December, the Chester County History Center will share a spirit of unity and togetherness with its second annual Season of Lights, a celebration inviting all community members to share in the warmth of the holiday season. On Sunday, Nov. 30, the History Center will host the Lights On! event from 3:30 -7 p.m., an opening celebration that will offer a feast for the senses with a diverse array of culinary delights, family programs, and entertainment to bring friends and neighbors together in celebration.
•The Grand’s 49th annual Grand Gala, presented by Bank of America, will take place on Friday, Dec. 5, with a special performance by music legend Bruce Hornsby, featuring the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Rob Moose. The evening will also honor Tom & Martha Carper with the 2025 Grand Medal for Excellence in the Performing Arts. The event starts at 8 p.m. at The Grand, followed by the Ultimate After Party at The Hotel DuPont. All proceeds benefit The Grand’s Community Engagement Programs. Tickets start at $250 and include the concert and afterparty. Tickets and more information at https://www.thegrandwilmington.org/gala.
The Brandywine Museum of Art’s annual Critter Sale is this weekend.
•Brandywine Museum of Art’s annual Critter Sale is this weekend, Nov. 20 – 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Browse and shop from thousands of unique, handcrafted ornaments and tabletop decorations made from all-natural materials by our dedicated and talented volunteers. Each Critter has its own unique personality and expression — no two are exactly the same. From whimsical animals — like cats, dogs, reindeer, and bears — to heavenly angels and stars, Critters come in all shapes and sizes. The sale is held in person at the Brandywine Museum of Art, located on the second floor of the museum in the Waterview Room. Credit and debit card sales only. Can’t make it in person? Critters are also available for purchase online and can be shipped across the country. Visit www.brandywine.org/critters.
Mt. Cuba’s wreath-making worksop is Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5 and 6.
•December is right around the corner, and Mt. Cuba Center’s Winter Holiday Workshops are here! As a special festive treat, we’d like to offer you the chance to make your class experience even more joyful by bringing a friend along to join you! For a limited time, we’re offering a $10 discount on registration for a friend when you register together. Take home your own festive creation in one of the several workshops. The event kicks off with wreath-making on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5 and 6. The wreath-making workshop is $85. Register here. https://tickets.mtcubacenter.org/webstore/shop/viewItems.aspx?cg=ga&c=ART#16851. Bring hand pruners and gardening gloves.
