William Bruce Handling (1950 – 2024)

William Bruce Handling, 73, of Wilmington, Delaware, loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, August 25, 2024.

Bill was born in Reading, Pennsylvania on September 15, 1950 to William and Ruth Handling, before moving to Delaware when he was two years old. In 1968 he graduated from Brown Tech in Wilmington, majoring in Carpentry. That same year, he joined the Coast Guard and served until 1974.  He started at the Dupont Company in 1969, where he worked as a Lab Tech at the Chestnut Run site, then later at the Experimental Station, before retiring in 2009.

He is survived by his wife of almost 52 years, Debra, daughters Kimberly Nicholson (Billy) and Amy Handling (Graeme Hobbs), and granddaughters Elizabeth Handling, Lily Cobo, and Emma Cobo, great grandson Alexander James Piper, and his brother Keith (Linda) and nephews Matt (Sue) and Tom (Kate).  He was predeceased by his parents.

Bill was a life-long fan of the Baltimore Orioles and Ravens. He was also a devoted fan of the University of Delaware Blue Hens, travelling to many of their away games and was a usher at home games. He was a long-time Jeep owner, and he used to race his 1970 Roadrunner at Cecil County in his early days. He enjoyed camping in Chincoteague, VA and frequent visits to Williamsburg, VA. He was a master of navigation long before GPS. He only needed to hear directions once and he would know multiple ways to get there. He was an avid fisherman, whether by stream, pond, or ocean. His love of fishing was only outweighed by his love of golf. His second home was on the many golf courses across Delaware. He even got a hole-in-one at Louviers.

Visitation will be Saturday, August 31, 2024 between 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at R.T. Foard & Jones Funeral Home, 122 W. Main Street, Newark, Delaware 19711.  Interment will be private. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.