Obituary of Edward-John Dell

Edward John Dell, born March 20, 1922, in Clinton, Massachusetts. He was an Eagle Scout at age 15. At age 18, in September 1940, he enlisted in the United States Navy. His first combat experience was on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. During the attack, he was based on land and he fired at the attacking Japanese planes with a rifle, exposing himself to considerable danger. For a short time after the attack, he was the bodyguard for Admiral Kimmel, the Base Commander, until relieved by the United States Marines. He served throughout the war on a number of vessels, especially the USS Chandler, one of the few mine sweepers to survive the entire war. He was stationed at the Aleutian Islands, Panama, Cuba, and the Philippines. He escorted convoys in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. While stationed in New York City in 1944, he met Laurel McGrath, who became his bride in 1945. Their first son, David was born in 1946. They had four more sons, John, Robert, James and Michael. The Dells moved to Rockland County in 1948, where they resided in the former Camp Shanks in Orangeburg. He attended Columbia University, where he studied economics and creative writing. Edward Dell managed the Shanks Village Co-op. For many years, he was a Ford salesman and a manager for large truck sales. He was a Past President of The Garden State Truckers Association. He distinguished himself as a Ford Top Hatter for four consecutive years. As an elite member of the Ford Century Club, he was the top salesman for trucks for the entire East Coast of the United States. In his fifties, he changed professions and became a stock broker and eventually became a Branch Manager for Hibbard Brown. After his retirement, he became an active Tai Chi practitioner, who studied with a number of the Grand Masters at the Tai Chi Farm in Orange County. He is best known for his many years of public service for Veterans causes. He organized numerous events for disabled veterans at Montrose Veterans Hospital and for returning veterans from Iraq, especially the 812 Military Police and the 412th National Guard. Edward Dell was the originator of the Walkway of American Heroes at Camp Shanks Memorial Park in Tappan. As Post Commander of The Raymond W. Demeola Memorial VFW Post 1615 for the last 8 years, he planned and organized events at the Camp Shanks Memorial every Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. He used his sales abilities to sell more than 1,400 Memorial bricks that paid for most of the construction. He was also an active life member of the American Legion John M. Perry Post No. 1044. He was featured on ABC News on several occasions, once for The Walkway of American Heroes and once after 9-11, when he was followed by news cameras as he viewed the destruction of the World Trade Center buildings and was asked to compare it to his experiences at Pearl Harbor. Edward Dell is survived by Laurel Dell, his loving wife of 62 years, his five sons, four daughters-in-law, 10 grandchildren and two great grandchildren. A Funeral Service will be held Friday, 11 am, at the Moritz Funeral Home in Tappan, followed by a private cremation. Visiting hours will be Wednesday, 7-9 pm and Thursday, 2-4 and 7-9 pm. Memorial donations may be made to the Walkway of American Heroes, 11 Lowe Lane, Orangeburg, NY 10962. MORITZ FUNERAL HOME 98 Route 303 South Tappan, NY 10983 (845)359-0890