Frederick "Freddy" Mercer Kappel, Sr.

Frederick “Freddy” Mercer Kappel, Sr., age 94, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 14, 2019 at his home.

Born in Wilmington on April 19, 1924, Freddy was the son of the late Marten and Lulu Mercer (Anderson) Kappel. He attended Brown Vocation School, before joining the U.S. Navy in 1942 and serving until 1945. Freddy completed U.S. Navy Boot Camp at Camp Perry, VA, before he was shipped out to the Hawaiian Islands to build air fields for B29 Aircraft. He then was sent to the South Pacific Island of Saipan, where he worked as a machinist. In 1945, Freddy returned to Wilmington, where he continued to further his trade as a machinist at Modern Bond until 1949.

In 1950, Freddy married Dorothy Miller. In 1951, their son, Edward, was born followed by the birth of their second son, Fred, in 1956. Before retiring in 2010, Freddy worked at Speakman Company for 60 years as a tool and die maker in the Research and Development Department.

Freddy was predeceased by his wife, Dorothy; his sister, Katherine Meekins; and his brothers, Franz and Martin Kappel. He is survived by his sons, Edward and Frederick Kappel (Marie) and his caregivers with whom he lived, Diane and Joseph McGrellis.

Family and friends may visit from 12 Noon to 1 PM on Thursday, March 21 at Doherty Funeral Home, 3200 Limestone Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808, where a Funeral Service will begin at 1 PM. Interment will follow at Gracelawn Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wilmington VA Medical Center, ATTN. Brendan Mackie, Public Affairs Officer, 1601 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE 19805. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Frederick "Freddy" Mercer Kappel, Sr., please visit our floral store.