Neil Paul Brechtel, age 89, of New Castle, DE, formerly of Wilmington, DE died on Saturday, February 9, 2019 at home in New Castle.
He was a 1952 graduate of Louisiana State University where he earned a degree in Engineering before joining the Air Force where he served in France and Maine. Upon leaving the Air Force, he worked for the DuPont Company in the Engineering Department at Louviers until his retirement in 1993 after forty years.
He was an accomplished sailor and a member of the New Castle Sailing Club since 1981 where he held several offices. In retirement, he volunteered teaching English at the Latin American Community Center, and for many years continued his love for education by taking classes at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Delaware’s Wilmington Campus.
He was pre-deceased by his wife, Betty S. Brechtel, his parents, Samuel Joseph Brechtel Jr., and Beulah Brechtel, and his sister Phyllis Brechtel Ortte.
He is survived by his brother, Lynn Brechtel (Barbara); sister, Rose Brechtel (James Hubbell); 5 children, Michael Brechtel, Kathy Decker (Marc), Karen Godfrey (Graham), David Brechtel and Ann Brechtel (Lyn); 5 grandchildren, Nicole (Stan), Virginia (Aniello), Katie, Cassi, Chelsea, and 4 great-grandchildren Rebecca, Alex, Ryan and Noah.