The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona
Monday, June 08, 2009
Delmond H. Chesley, 89, passed away June 4, 2009. He was born Sept. 26, 1919 at home in Fort Thomas, Graham County, Ariz. to Edgar Hamblin Chesley and Lucy Allen, who preceded him in death along with his brothers, Arthur Chesley, Eugene Chesley, Meryl Chesley, Owen Chesley, Loren Chesley, Andrew Chesley and Max Chesley; sisters, Edna Smith, Myrtle Boutwell, Iris Chesley, Ella Mae (Lee) Vannotric, Bessy (Burton Thompson) Hunt and Corinne Chesley Thompson; three wives, Ovella (Stamper) Chesley, Marjorie (Kempton) Chesley and her daughter Carolyn Kennyand Bernadean (Letham) Chesley.
Delmond is survived by his wife of two years, Hazel (Weems) Chesley; one brother Jay Chesley and wife Loma of Idaho Falls, Idaho; two children by his first wife (Dovie Chandler), daughter Sherry Lee Jones and husband Thomas of Point Blank, Texas and a son Robert Bruce Chesley of Prescott Valley, Ariz.; grandchildren, Michael Thornton, Brian Thornton, Tawni Jones, Joanna Ettinger, Lisa Chesley and Patricia Ann Freeman; 11 great grandchildren; and two great great grandchildren.
Delmond also had four stepchildren by his second wife Ovella (Lindley) Stamper, Barbara, Susanne, Russell and Gene; and three step grandsons of Marjorie's, Darrin, Troy and Todd. He had numerous nieces and nephews and many, many friends.
Del, as most called him, attended Emery Elementary School and Jr. High at Fort Thomas, Ariz. then went onto Junior College in Thatcher and played football.
He married Dovie Chandler in 1939 and they had two children.
Among other jobs, he worked for a while at the State prison in Florence, Ariz.
When WWII started he joined the Navy and served most of his time in Australia in the Arm Guard on oil tankers. After his service in the Navy was over and he had married Ovella Stamper, he worked at the Superior Copper Mine for several years. When he began to get Black lung he decided to go to barber school in Phoenix. He barbered in Miami for a while then in Scottsdale and finally in Prescott Valley. He also cut hair at the Pioneer Home for a while before he and Marjorie decided to make it their home. He cut hair there as long as he was able.
After Marjorie passed he married Bernadean Lethem and when she passed he met and married Hazel (Weems), there in the Pioneer home and she took such very good care of him in his last years. He loved her very much and she him. The family is forever grateful.
He has remained in the Pioneer Home till his death. He will be missed by all who knew him.
There will be a Memorial service at the Pioneer Home at 6 p.m. Sunday, June 14, 2009 and a military service at a later date in their family plot in Fort Thomas, Ariz.
Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral home assisted the family.
(Information provided by survivors.)