Gene P. Bedgood, Sr.

Gene P. Bedgood, Sr., age 70, of New Castle, DE, passed away peacefully at home, while surrounded by his family on Thursday, September 8, 2016. Born in San Francisco, CA on July 8, 1946, Gene was a son of Frank Bedgood and Gail (Sorenson) Ardrey. He proudly served his country as a member of the Delaware Air National Guard where he worked as an aircraft mechanic supervisor, retiring in 2004 after a 36 year career. He was a veteran of the Cold War, Vietnam War, Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan. An exceptional marksman, Gene began competing at the age of 15 when he was named as the champion rifle shooter at Balboa High School and then as state champion during his senior year at San Francisco High School. He would later receive the Distinguished Rifle Shooter Governors Ten Award for a number of years. Gene was the 219th recipient of the Air Force Distinguished Rifle Shooter award. Additionally, he was a longtime member of the Honor Guard Unit of the Delaware Air National Guard. Gene enjoyed hitting the greens whenever he could. He loved a good game of horseshoes, fishing and trips to the beach. Above all else, Gene was a devoted and loving husband, father, brother, grandfather and great grandfather and will be dearly missed by all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his father, Frank and brother, David Mitchem. Gene is survived by his beloved wife, Janice “April” (Caldwell) Bedgood; mother, Gail; children, Cheryl McWhorter (John) of Harpers Ferry, WV, Tony DeNoi (Karen) of Downingtown, PA and Gene P. Bedgood, Jr. (April) of New Castle, DE; sisters, Linda Burton and Diane Ardrey both of San Francisco, CA; grandchildren, Christen Foster (Jimmy), Laura McWhorter, Kelly Gilliford, and Mykenzie Bedgood; and great grandson, Ian Charles Foster. A funeral service will be held at 12:30 pm on Wednesday afternoon, September 14, 2016, at the Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 1000 N. DuPont Parkway, New Castle, DE, where a visitation will be held from 10 am until 12:30 pm. Interment will follow in the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear, DE. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Gene’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 92 Read’s Way, Ste. 205, New Castle, DE 19720.