Edward L. Van Hoorebeke

Edward Lloyd Van Hoorebeke, age 85, of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, quietly passed away on the afternoon of February 12, 2026. He was survived by his childhood sweetheart and loving bride of 65 years, Margaret Jean; as well as their four loving children: Krissa (Christopher) Holmdel, NJ, Edward (Joanne) West Chester, PA, Kerrick (Natalie) Kennett Square, PA, and Brendan (Crystal) Downingtown, PA, along with 10 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren, and 2 more arriving soon.

Born January 14,1941 in Joplin, Missouri; Ed’s childhood was one of modest beginnings - raised in a home where hard work, humility, and life's simple blessings measured each day. Eventually, Ed went on to fall in love, and marry his Joplin High, high-school sweetheart, where they began life’s great adventure together.

Their early years in Joplin were defined by two things: the pursuit of his degree in Physics from Kansas State University at Pittsburgh, and the birth of their first child, their daughter, Krissa Lynne.

Upon graduating, Edward and Margaret moved their young family cross country to Wilmington, Delaware, where Edward went to work for the E.I. DuPont de Nemours Corporation and enjoyed a 39+ year career. They spent several years in Wilmington, Delaware, several more in Monroe, Connecticut, and eventually found themselves settling in the serene countryside of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Along with those many moves, there were the subsequent births of their next three children, their three sons: Edward, Kerrick, and Brendan.

The years flew by faster than they should. In addition to life’s usual activities typically accompanied by raising four children, there were the occasional summer trips returning to Joplin, family picnics, fishing adventures at the Delaware beaches, bird watching expeditions with binoculars in hand, backyard barbecues, and the occasional vacation exploring some of our countries’ grand and majestic National Parks in the Rocky Mountains. Plus, if you were really lucky, once in a while Dad might break out his clarinet and fill the home with the big band sounds of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw… of course, with an occasional “squeak” mixed in here or there.

So don’t be surprised if on a quiet summer day ahead, where a gentle wind may stir, and a rarely spotted bird may sit perched high in a tree, if you listen just right… you just may catch a glimmer of the faint sound of a clarinet as Dad serenades the love of his life Margaret Jean.

We love you and we’ll miss you forever.

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