Elmer E. Hearn passed away peacefully on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022 at Lofland Park in Seaford, after a brief illness. He was born on Aug. 19, 1924 at home on the family farm in Laurel, son of the late Elmer W. and Cynthia L. Hearn.

Elmer was the oldest living Laurel Bulldog! During his time at Laurel High School, he met and fell in love with Vera Sara Hudson. Upon graduating, however, Elmer worked for the railroad in Philadelphia, Pa., continued to help out on the family farm in Laurel, and in August 1945, joined the Army Corps of Engineers. Before shipping off  to Europe to help in the rebuilding effort in Reims, France after WWII, Elmer and Vera were secretly married on Jan. 14, 1946 (Vera was in nursing school and was not allowed to wed before graduation). They spent 55 joyous years together building a home, raising a family, gardening, going to  the  “Silver  Bullet” in Fenwick Island, and traveling throughout the United States and Europe.

After a brief stint at Dupont and 10 years as a manager at Southern States in Bridgeville, Elmer became a Nationwide Insurance Agent in Seaford in 1962, running his business out of the family home. Eventually, he purchased an office building in downtown Seaford and moved his office there where his son, Doug, joined him in the  business. Together they loved talking to  people and assisting them with their insurance needs. Elmer so enjoyed his career that he retired from Nationwide three years ago at the ripe old age of 94!

Elmer loved his family, loved having an animal or two around, loved being on the water swimming or crabbing, was an avid reader, a self-proclaimed doctor, and loved a good adventure and a good laugh. He was a longtime member of Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church and recently St. Johns United Methodist Church.

In addition to his parents, Elmer was preceded in death by his  beloved wife Vera, in 2001; his infant daughters, June, Janet and Faith Hearn; his brothers, Howard, Herman and Grover Hearn; and his sister, Florence Parsons.

He is survived by his children, Penny Husted (Craig) of Wilmington, Doug Hearn (Debbie) of Seaford, Cindy Beard (Kevin) of Catonsville, Md., and Jon Hearn (Karen) of Bridgeville; his grandchildren, Timothy Husted (Rachel), Jamie Husted (Leah), Tyler Beard (Meghan), Kelli Beard, Sara Sharp (Dylan), and Cooper Hearn (Katelyn); and his dear friend, Annabel Cordrey of Delmar, Del.

Services are private. Arrangements have been entrusted to Watson-Yates Funeral Home, a Parsell Family Funeral Home, Seaford, DE.

Please visit Elmer’s Life Memorial Webpage and sign his virtual guestbook at www.watsonyatesfuneralhome.com.