Obituaries

ELBRIDGE WARREN CROPPER Ocean City

Elbridge Warren Cropper “Newt,” age 83, died on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022 at Coastal Hospice at the Lake in Salisbury.

Born in Bishopville, he was the youngest son of Warren and Millie Cropper. He is survived by his wife, Karen; and children, John Lester Elbridge Cropper “JL” Cropper of Ocean City, Mark Cropper and his wife, Susan, of Ocean City, and Stacia Cropper of Berlin.

There are three grandchildren, Spencer, Drake and Caroline, and one great-grandchild, Riggs.

Also surviving is former wife, Amanda Cropper, mother of his children.

Preceding him in death was a brother, Elisha Cropper, and sister, Christine Cropper Rayne.

Newt was a graduate of Stephen Decatur High School, and served four years in the United States Coast

WORLD WAR II

Continued from Page 70 been relieved of command and joined Field Marshal von Bock in permanent retirement. He was replaced by the Supreme Warlord, himself, who exercised his command responsibilities from his headquarters 1,500 miles away.

Meanwhile, the Axis proceeded south along the Black Sea Coast to capture the bases on the eastern side of the Black Sea and eliminate the Soviet Black Sea Fleet and shorten their supply lines considerably. First stop was Tuapse, which today has a population of 63,233. However, the Axis were stopped 14 miles from the city, at a cost of 100,000 Soviet lives and 25,000 Axis. On May 5, 2008, President Putin designated Tuapse a “City of Military Glory.”

The Soviet Navy, under the command of Rear Admiral Georgiy Nikitich Kholostyakov, mounted an

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Guard where he was a tug boat captain.

For fun he competed in boat docking contests with his 40-foot bay boat. He later became very active, in politics in the Ocean City area.

He and former wife, Amanda, bought the Midway Shopping Center in 1960, where they owned and operated the Ocean City Paint Store for 30 years.

He was a member of the Ocean City Lions Club, Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company, served as president of the Ocean City Council, president of the Worcester County Board of Education, and president of the Maryland Retriever Club.

He loved his Labrador retrievers that he bred, trained and competed, finishing over 13 field champions and amateur field champions. Two of which were inducted into the Retriever Hall of Fame.

Newt was generous with his time and knowledge, helping others train their dogs and be successful.

A memorial service was held on Wednesday, Aug. 31, at the Burbage Funeral Home in Berlin. Pastor Mack Palmer officiated.

A donation in his memory may be made to: The OC Paramedic Foundation, Inc, P.O. Box 3099, Ocean City, Maryland 21843; or the Bird Dog Foundation Inc, P.O. Box 774, 505 W. Highway 57, Grand Junction, Tennessee 38039; or Coastal Hospice, P.O. Box 1733, Salisbury, Maryland 21804.

Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com .

RICHARD BYRD TAYLOR Berlin

Richard Byrd (Dick) Taylor, 91, passed peacefully away on Aug. 19, 2022.

Born Dec. 29,1930, Dick was raised in Quantico, Maryland. He was the son of the late Clifford Augustus Taylor, Sr., and Sadie Holt Taylor. Dick graduated from Wicomico High School, where he was a standout athlete esRichard Taylor pecially in football. He enlisted in the Marine Corps, becoming a Korean War veteran, shortly after graduation

amphibious assault by 800 naval infantrymen against the German V Korps, occupying a bridgehead in Novorossiysk at Malaya Zemlya(Little Land), on the evening of Feb. 3, 1943, which the Axis were unable to dislodge. The landing party was led by Maj. Ceasar Lvovich Kunikov, who was born in Rostov-on-the-Don. Within a week, 17,000 Soviet soldiers were ashore. The Soviet forces continued to hold, occupying the eastern shore of the bay and denying the Axis control and use of the port.

Maj. Kunikov was seriously wounded on Feb. 12, 1943, and died two days later. He was, posthumously, named a Hero of the Soviet Union and awarded the Orders of Lenin for exemplary service, and Red Banner, for extraordinary heroism, dedication, and courage demonstrated on the battlefield, and the Alexander Nevsky Medal, for personal courage and resolute leadership. Streets in Novorossiysk, Rostovon-the-Don and Tuapse bear his name.

The beachhead that his soldiers established survived for 255 days until on Sept. 10, 1943, the Red Army mounted a concerted effort to retake the city. After much fighting, the city was finally retaken on Oct. 10, 1943. Twenty years later, the Soviet government accorded Novorossiysk the title of “Hero City.” It was the smallest city in the U.S.S.R. to receive this honor.

Next week: The Sinking of the Laconia

Mr. Wimbrow writes from Ocean City, Maryland, where he practices law representing those persons accused of criminal and traffic offenses, and those persons who have suffered a personal injury through no fault of their own. He can be contacted at: wimbrowlaw@gmail.com. and attended college at the University of Florida, proudly becoming a “Gator.”

In later years, he was a deputy sheriff in Wicomico County. After 30 years of working as a building inspector for the Town of Ocean City Dick retired.

He enjoyed daily jogs on the Boardwalk and walking his beloved Chesapeake Retriever who was named Taylor. Sadly, he lost his beloved Taylor a couple of months ago.

Dick was a member of the Masonic Lodge; he was a true outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting, especially waterfowl. He always had interesting stories about his hunting experiences.

Whenever you saw Richard, you were always met with a firm handshake, slap on the back, beautiful Continued on Page 72

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Continued from Page 71 smile and he always said he” felt like a million dollars,” no matter how he really felt.

He is survived by his children, Richard” Ricky” Taylor Hardy (Marilyn), Robert “Bobby” Taylor and Patty Lou Adams; stepchildren, Ken, Cynthia, Donna and Andrew and Teri Hardy.

He is also survived by several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews as well as his very special friend and companion, Pasty Stewart and her children.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by wife, Elizabeth “Liz” German Taylor; the mother of his children, Patricia “Pat” Schoonover Taylor Hardy; his siblings, Clifford Augustus Taylor, Jr. (Esther), Orlando “Bunk” Taylor (Jeannette), Eleanor Taylor Horsey “Ernie,” Margaret “Peggy” Sterling (T.R), Emilyne Taylor Couch “Joe;” and his niece, Terri Taylor.

A memorial service will be held at Holloway Funeral Home, Salisbury, Maryland, on Sept. 4, 2022, at noon with a visitation one hour prior.

DOROTHY LEE HASTINGS Berlin

Dorothy Lee Hastings, age 83, died on Monday, Aug. 22, 2022, at Tidal Health Peninsula Regional Hospital in Salisbury.

Born in Snow Hill, she was the daughter of the late Clayton Moore and Edna (Webb) Moore.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Allen “Sonny” Hastings; and brothers, Floyd and Freddy Moore.

She is survived by her daughters, Lori Hastings and Tina Donaway.

There are four grandchildren, Breeanna Popp (Roy Dill), Jessica Donaway, Rachel Donaway and Lane Jones; two stepgrandchildren, Colin Jones and RJ Jones; and one greatgrandchild, Arianna Wells, and several nieces and nephews.

Also surviving is her brother, Clayton Moore; good friend, Evelyn Hartzell; and caregiver, Mackensie.

Dorothy had been a devoted mother and homemaker. She was also a poultry grower and farmer who loved Orioles baseball, NASCAR, and enjoyed feeding the squirrels and the birds.

Cremation followed her death. No formal services are planned at this time.

Letters of condolence may be sent via: www.burbagefuneralhome.com.

DIXIE LOU MOLNAR Batesville

Dixie Lou Molnar, 91, passed away peacefully Aug. 23, 2022, at St. Andrew’s Health Campus, Batesville, Indiana.

She will be forever remembered for her compassion, joy, playful antics and immense love for her family.

Dixie was born Nov. 14, 1930 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Jack Williams and Dorothy (Jenkins) Williams Morgan. Dixie grew up in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Beaver Falls High School, Class of 1948, where she excelled at singing, dancing and writing.

She married Robert “Bob” Molnar in 1950 and was happily married for almost 50 years until his passing.

Dixie worked at JC Penny’s, TechTAF in Biloxi, Mississippi, the Treasury Department in Washington D.C. and Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland.

She retired in 1993, after serving many years as the administrative assistant to thedean of the Business School at PGCC.

Dixie and Bob lived in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, for 39 years, raising their family and later retired to their beach home in Ocean City, Maryland.

Several years ago, Dixie moved to Batesville, to live with family.

She was a wonderful daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.

Nothing made her happier than to have all her family together for a meal or holiday. She was nicknamed “Meatballs” by some because of the delicious spaghetti and meatball dinners she would prepare.

Dixie loved to laugh and was wellknown to all for her silly practical jokes.

Growing up with a mother who had been a Ziegfeld Girl and a father who managed Warner Theaters, she was tap dancing on stage by age 3.

Dixie loved the world of entertainment, especially the old movies and classic TV shows. She was a walking encyclopedia of movie trivia from the 1940s to the present day.

And she was quite the entertainer herself… singing for her children, sharing amusing family stories and pulling hilarious pranks on coworkers, family and friends.

If your spirits needed lifting, she would get you laughing. If you needed an ear, a kind word or a loyal supporter, she was your go to. She made everyone feel special, which is one of the many reasons she was adored.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her loving husband, Bob.

She is survived by her three children, Andy Pfautz and her husband, Bart, of Batesville, Indiana, Bill Molnar and his wife, Stephanie, of Avon, Connecticut, and Cathy Chambers and her husband, Rick, of Huntingtown, Maryland; eight grandchildren, Bart Pfautz and his wife, Jeannie, of Charlottesville, Virginia, Bobby Pfautz of Batesville, Indiana, Billy Pfautz, of Loa, Utah, Brett Pfautz, of Big Sky, Montana, Morgan Lehmann and her husband, Alex, of Redwood City, California, Blake Molnar of New York City, New York, Carly Horan and husband, Connor, of Wilmington, North Carolina, and Austin Chambers and his wife, Baylee, of Glen Burnie, Maryland; great-grandchildren, Barton and Amelia Pfautz; two brothers, Robbie Morgan and his wife, Ellen of Forrestville, Maryland and Richard Williams and his wife, Linda, of O’Fallon, Illinois; and a host of other relatives and friends.

A service will be held at 1 p.m., Sept. 2, 2022, at Saint Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church, 208 West Pearl Street, Batesville, Indiana. Pastor Jill Kepler Campbell will officiate.

No visitation is planned. Interment of her ashes with the ashes of Bob, her beloved husband, will be held at a later date in Ocean City, Maryland.

Those who wish to remember Dixie may make donations in her memory to Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital or the Activity Fund at St. Andrew’s Health Campus, Batesville, Indiana.

Dixie Molnar

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