Francis Diffendall

Age 88, of Wilmington, passed away on Wednesday, September 26, 2012, after a long illness.

Diff was the son of the late Frank E. and Susanna M. Diffendall. He was a graduate of Henry C. Conrad High School. Diff worked as a technician at the High Pressure Lab at the DuPont Experimental Station for 40 years, retiring in 1982.

Diff was predeceased by the love of his life, Edna May, with whom he shared 61 years of marriage and a passion for dancing and travel. Diff's many interests included gardening, reading, painting, music and building model airplanes. He was a founding member of St. Matthews Church where he taught CCD for 25 years, was a Lector and was one of the original Eucharist Ministers.

Diff is survived by his daughters, Anne Roberts and her husband Mike, Barbara Murphy and her husband Larry and Patty Ballintyn and her husband Andy; his son, George and his wife Jane; his 14 grandchildren; his 6 great-grandchildren and his sisters, Ruth McAvaney and Janet Chalfant and her husband Harold.

Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30 am on Saturday, September 29 at St. Matthews Church, 901 E. Newport Pike, Woodcrest, where visitation will begin at 9:30 am. Burial will be at Gracelawn Memorial Park, N. DuPont Pkwy., New Castle.

The family suggests contributions in Diff's memory to St. Matthews Church, 1013 E. Newport Pike, Wilmington, DE 19804.