Joseph Neil “Joe” Cratty

Joseph Neil “Joe” Cratty, age 82, of Newark, DE, passed away on Sunday, September 7, 2025.

Born in Tulsa, OK on September 21, 1942, he was a son of the late Clarence Thomas and Argie Mai (Hines) Cratty. Joe proudly served in the United States Air Force. He made his career in maintenance at the Red Clay Maintenance Shops until his retirement in 2005.

Joe had many hobbies throughout his life and had an endless desire to learn. With his daughter, he enjoyed crabbing, fishing, horseback riding, and boogie boarding in Ocean City, Maryland. Joe loved his granddaughter and especially loved spending time with her as a baby and toddler. He traveled throughout the continental United States and had a special place in his heart for Arizona and the American Southwest. After retirement, Joe could be found sitting on the porch with his cat Milo, enjoying a cigar from his favorite smoke shop in Newark. Joe was “The most interesting man in the world” as it was often repeated by friends and people he met that he could talk about anything to anyone.

Joe was hard working, often working seven days a week. He was a skilled auto mechanic, welder, and horseshoer. He was a member of the American Welding Society, completed his welding apprenticeship with Red Clay School District, and returned to school to learn the horseshoeing trade. Joe was self-educated and, in the evening, could be found reading trade publications to keep up on current practices and ideas in all the trades he was involved with. He enjoyed having dinner at the Wellwood Yacht Club and watching horseracing while drinking an Old Fashion at the Rail.

Joe’s daughter would like to thank Christiana Care and Cadia Rehabilitation for their care, patience and medical guidance. Also, thank you to Joe’s friends and neighbors who called and visited. In Joe’s words “It’s another day in paradise” and “keep smiling”.

In addition to his parents, Joe was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Katherine Dickinson; and brothers, Charles, Thomas, and Robert. He is survived by his daughter, Jennifer Cratty-Wakeling (Bill); granddaughter, Hannah Barbehenn; girlfriend, Lorraine Bender; former wife, Elaine Eppler-Cratty; stepdaughter, Lee Eppler; and many nieces and nephews.

A visitation for family and friends will be held from 10:30 am until 11:30 am on Thursday, September 18, 2025, at Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 214 Clinton Street, Delaware City, DE, where a memorial service will begin at 11:30 am. A committal service will follow in the chapel of Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear, DE.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joe’s memory to Forgotten Cats, Inc., Suite 422, 4023 Kennett Pike, Greenville, DE 19807 or online by clicking here.