James Harve Delap*

James Harve DeLap of DeLand, Florida, lost his battle with pulmonary fibrosis on July 17, 2015. he was 85. He was born February 6, 1930 in Carbondale, Illinois. He graduated from Carbondale Community High School in 1948, from Southern Illinois University in 1952 and from Duke University in 1960 with a Pd.D degree in Chemistry.. He served in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954. He was stationed at the Special Weapons Depot at Sandia Base in Alburquerque, New Mexico. He was employed as a Research Chemist by the Chemstrand Corporation from 1960 to 1962.

In 1962 he chose teaching as a profession and spent the next 34 years at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. For many years he directed Stetson students in presenting "magic shows" for local fifth grade students. In 1970 - 1971 he taught Inorganic Chemistry at Kathmandu, Nepal. In 1978 - 1979 he taught Physical Chemistry at the University of Liberia in Monrovia, Liberia. During his life he has lived and/or traveled in six of the seven continents.

In 1959 he married Miss Prudence Todd of Fayetteville, North Carolina. They had four children: Carolyn, Polly, Margaret, and Todd. He and his family enjoyed touring Europe in 1971 in their VW camper and the United States in 1974. His other hobbies included gardening, stamp and coin collecting, sports (tennis and basketball), reading, and genealogy. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in DeLand, Florida.

He is survived by three of his four children and their spouses. His daughter Carolyn Delap VanderNoordea and a granddaughter Adena Celeste VanderNoodea and his sister Jane DeLap Curtis (Robert) predeceased him. he is also survived by nine grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

Memorials may be given to the American Lung Association.

Source: Genealogy Bank