NEWPORT NEWS, Va. Darrell “Drifty” W. Hanscom, 75, died peacefully at his home Sunday, May 28, 2006, with his family near him. He had suffered many long years of congestive heart failure. He was born March 12, 1931, in Lincoln, the son of the late Paul L. and Lavina (Whitten) Hanscom. Darrell was a 1950 graduate of Old Town High School, Old Town, and a 1953 graduate of the Maine Maritime Academy, Castine, with a marine engineer science degree. After graduation, he sailed for United Fruit Company, New York, N.Y. He served two and one half years in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Cavalier during the Korean War. After the Navy, he went to work for Great Northern Paper Company, Millinocket. In 1963, he came to Newport News, Va. to work as an engineer for the shipyard. In 1972, he joined SupShips for the U.S. Navy. Later he went to NavSea as a piping engineer with the inspector audit team, retiring in 1993. Over the years he enjoyed hunting, fishing and times spent at “camp” in Maine. For about 40 years he was a skirmisher, shooting black powder in competition. He was a member of the NRA, York Rangers, and Lafayette Gun Club, Grafton, Va. He also was a member of the Ivy Farms Church of the Brethren, Masonic Star in the East No. 60 in Old Town, Khedive Temple, Norfolk, Va., Scottish Rite and Peninsula Shrine Club, Newport News, Va. Darrell is survived by his devoted wife of 51 years, Marie; his loving daughter, Cindy Emanuel and her husband, Mike; his granddaughter, Melissa Emanuel and friend, Pete Block; his grandson, Justin Emanuel and fiance, Amanda Jones; and his great-grandson, Christopher Durant, all of Elberon, Va.; sisters, Carolyn Willette and her husband, Albert, of Old Town, Marilyn Reeves and her husband, Fred, of Sebastian, Fla.; sisters-in-law, April Lally of Durham, N.C., Leslie Jollymoor and companion, Leon Treadwell, of Milford; a niece and two nephews. A memorial service will be held 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 1, at the Ivy Farms Church of the Brethren with Pastor Dennis Brown officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Church Organ Fund, 681 Dresden Dr., Newport News, VA 23601. Peninsula Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
DARRELL W. HANSCOM
