Sad News: Dr. William Markell, Governor’s Father, Has Passed Away

Members of the Delaware State House of Representatives received this information last evening:

It is with regret and much sadness that I inform you the Governor’s father, Dr. William Markell, passed away earlier this evening.  He did so the presence of his loving family.  Please keep Dr. Markell and his family in your prayers during this difficult time.  Below is the obituary:

William Markell, born March 18, 1923, died on March 11, 2009.

Dr. Markell retired in 1993 after a 35 year career as a professor and administrator at the University of Delaware.  For many of those years, he served as Chairperson of the Department of Business Administration and later as Chairperson of the Department of Accounting.   He was named the Arthur Anderson Professor of Accounting at the University of Delaware in honor of his distinguished service and reputation.   In addition to his teaching responsibilities at Delaware, he was a Fulbright Scholar and devoted himself to studying accounting practices around the globe and taught in countries including Botswana, Israel, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Bulgaria, France and Slovakia.

Dr. Markell was a Board member of a variety of organizations including United Way, the Jewish Federation of Delaware, the Newark Free Library, the Newark Symphony, the American Accounting Association, and Temple Beth El where he once served as principal of the Hebrew School.   Dr. Markell also served on the audit committee of the University of Delaware, and on the audit committee of the state of Delaware pension fund.

A man of few words, Dr. Markell demonstrated through actions his commitment to his family and his community.  He leaves as powerful legacies both the careers of thousands of University of Delaware accounting students and the outstanding reputation of the University’s accounting program.

Dr. Markell was a veteran of the U.S. Army.   He studied and became fluent in Russian through the Army Specialized Training Program and served in Europe during World War II.  He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Leni as well as three children, David and daughter-in-law Mona of Tallahassee, Florida; Judy Weinstein and son-in-law Alan of Mendham, New Jersey; and Jack and daughter-in-law Carla, of Wilmington, Delaware.  He also leaves behind nine loving grandchildren, Lauren, Russell, Dena and Sassy Weinstein of New Jersey; Rebecca, Jenny and Rachel Markell of Florida and Molly and Michael Markell of Delaware.

Services will be held at Temple Beth El in Newark on March 15 at 1 p.m.  Shiva will be observed at the Markell home at 222 Hullihen Drive, Newark, DE 19711 on March 15, 16 and 17 at 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Markell Scholarship Fund at the University of Delaware, Hullihen Hall, Newark, DE 19716 or Hadassah c/o 2302 Swynford Road, Wilmington, DE 19810 or the Jewish Federation of Delaware, 100 W. 10th Street, Wilmington, DE 19801.