Lois H. (Hailstone) DiVincenzo

Lois passed away at home surrounded by her loving family following a two-year battle with ALS and a severe stroke. She is survived by her husband, Bruce, with whom she built a beautiful life and a home on a hill in Landenberg, PA. There, they raised five children. Lois and Bruce recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary and Lois’s 68th birthday surrounded by their family and we are so grateful for that last celebration. Bruce has been a devoted and loving husband to Lois, caring for her at home for the last year and enjoying their time together.

Lois was a wise and wonderful mother and grandmother.  She was known as “GaGa” by her 17 grandchildren, who absolutely adored her. She had nothing but patience and tenderness for fussy babies, tantruming toddlers, energy filled kindergarteners, and rebellious teens. She could handle it all.  She loved to be surrounded by her family’s “joyful noise.”

Lois converted to the Catholic Faith as an adult and it was central to her life. She attended daily mass when possible and prayed the rosary every day.  Her devotion to her faith led her to become a member of Our Lady’s Missionaries of the Eucharist.   She was also a member of St. Anthony of Padua parish in Wilmington, DE and St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother parish in Avondale, PA.  She loved babies and dogs. She loved all of God’s creatures and would even brake for little frogs when driving in the spring as they covered the Landenberg roads. She loved watching and feeding birds, spending time at the beach (especially in Margate, NJ and Holden Beach, NC), tending to her flowers, making jam, baking pies, drinking coffee and sitting by her warm fire.

Lois was born in Wilmington, grew up and started her family in Marshallton, DE and moved to Landenberg, PA in 1983. A 1970 graduate of McKean High School and an honors graduate of the University of Delaware, Lois spent over 30 years as an elementary school teacher in the Avon Grove School District. There, she played many roles over the years, including as a special education teacher, a reading specialist and an English as a second language (ESL) teacher.  Known as “Mrs. D,” she was well loved by her many students and colleagues.

Lois is survived by her five children and 17 grandchildren: Carla Hughes (Jim) of Merchantville, NJ (Andrew, Evan, Nathan, Aidan, Bridget and Owen); Melissa DiVincenzo (Eric Hohman) of Wilmington, DE (Oliver, Viggo, Gunnar and Kasper); Laura DiVincenzo (Mark Morris) of West Grove, PA (Tyler, Caleb, Clementine and Remy); Lisa DiVincenzo (Brad Pecoraro) of Milton, DE (Kayla and Talia); and Tim DiVincenzo (Paige) of Landenberg, PA (Rhys).  She is also survived by her dear parents, Robert and Jean Hailstone; her siblings, Roberta Jones (Curt), Julie Parrack (David) and Jim Hailstone (Shirley); and many beloved nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. She was predeceased by her first husband, Scott Arthur, who passed in 1972.

We would like to thank everyone who provided support during Lois’s illness, including the doctors and staff at Penn Medicine and Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation. We are blessed to have so many wonderful friends and family. We are also very thankful for the kindness of our caregivers, especially Sheena Mason, who became a friend to Lois and the whole family.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Our Lady’s Missionaries of the Eucharist (www.olme.org); St. Anthony of Padua Church (www.sapde.org); St. Gabriel’s of the Sorrowful Mother Church (http://www.stgabrielavondalepa.org); or the Ministry of Caring in Wilmington, DE (http://www.ministryofcaring.org). 

On Thursday, November 19th, friends and family may call at Doherty Funeral Home located at 3200 Limestone Road, Wilmington, DE from 6-8 pm. Friends and family are invited to attend the Mass of Christian burial at St. Anthony of Padua Church at 901 N. Dupont Street, Wilmington, DE at 11 am on Friday, November 20th.  Entombment will be private.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lois H. (Hailstone) DiVincenzo, please visit our floral store.