Robert J. Goldsmith

Robert J. Goldsmith, age 93, of Hockessin, DE passed away at Seasons Hospice on Monday, October 10, 2016.

Born on February 6, 1923, in Atlantic City New Jersey, he was the son of the late Robert and Jane (Diefenbeck) Goldsmith. Robert proudly served in the US Army from 1941 until 1945. He saw action during the Normandy invasion and the Ardennes Counteroffensive and received a purple heart for a combat wound.  After discharge, he returned home and married Mildred Daugherty and started his family.  Robert returned to military service after joining the US Marine Corps in 1952.  He served in the Korean Conflict until 1954 and was reassigned to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California.  In 1955 he became a Marine Corps Recruiter for the State of Delaware.  From 1960 to 1961, Robert served at Camp LeJeune NC, and in 1961, he was re-assigned to MCAS Kaneohe Bay in Kailua Hawaii, where he served until 1964 when he was re-assigned to Camp Pendleton.  From 1965 until 1966 he served in Da Nang, South Viet Nam.  Robert retired from the military in 1968 and later worked for the US Postal Service until his retirement in 1985. He was a member of the Shriners, a Mason, and a member of both the VFW and the American Legion.

In addition to his parents, Robert was preceded in death by his first wife, Mildred (Daugherty) Goldsmith, his second wife, Christine (Belcher) Goldsmith, and brother-in-law, Ralph Daugherty. He is survived by his son, Russell C. Goldsmith (Mary) of Felton, DE; daughter, Nancy G. Campana (Albert) of  Newark, DE; five grandchildren, Russell C. Goldsmith, Jr. (Sharon) of  Demorset, GA, Thomas R. Goldsmith (Shannon)  of Conyers, GA, Shelley Ann Goldsmith of Felton DE, Jane C. Rapuano (Leon), and Julie E. Campana of Newark, DE; former sister-in law, Thelma L. Daugherty of  Newark DE; stepdaughter, Henrietta Stack (James) of Millsboro, DE, her two daughters, Katina and Rebecca, and their children.

A visitation for family and friends will be held from 11:00 am until 12:30 pm on Thursday, October  13, 2016, at Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 1000 N. DuPont Parkway, New Castle, DE,  where a funeral service will follow at 12:30 pm. Interment will be held privately in Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear, DE.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Robert’s memory may be made to the Disabled American Veterans of Delaware, PO Box 407, Camden, DE 19934.