EDITOR’S
NOTE: THIS WILL
STAY ON THE DARLEY WEB SITE FOR A LONG TIME …
IF YOU HAVE A NOTE OR PHOTO THAT YOU’D LIKE
TO ADD, PLEASE SEND TO editors@naamans.org
UPDATED NOVEMBER 9, 2005 ( for the note at the end from Cynthia Cirile )
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REMEMBERING
CAROL DIGEL ( Carol Beth Jenkins Digel ) The
Research Historian for the Darley Society, Inc., 1999-2005 (Since it was founded) ‘SHE
SERVED LONG AND WELL … AND
SHE IS MISSED” We also remember her husband, Bill, and the other family members who shared her with us |
Friend and fellow laborer with us in our work for Darley |
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THE OBITUARY: THE NEWS JOURNAL, JUNE 12, 2005 "Carol Beth Jenkins Digel,
age 66, of Wilmington, DE passed away at home Thursday, June 9, 2005. Mrs. Digel had been a contract
employee for the DuPont Company and a medical transcriptionist. Carol was a
member of Trinity Presbyterian Church where she served as moderator of the
Deacons. She was a member of the Darley Society where she served as Research
Historian; she was a member of the Delaware Bibliophiles; and she enjoyed
being a docent at the Delaware Art Museum. Carol is predeceased by her parents,
Carle and Euphemia Repp Jenkins, and her brother, the Rev. C. Frederick
Jenkins. Survivors include her husband of 45 years, William A. Digel; two
daughters, Dr. Mary Carol Digel and her husband Richard J. Wurster of Sparta,
NC and Sarah Louise Oakum and her husband Larry Oakum of Naples, FL; and one
son, Dr. Seth William Digel and his wife Dr. Jeanne Geczi Digel of San
Carlos, CA. Survivors also include four grandchildren: Anna Grace Wurster,
Marcella Jeanne Digel, Joseph William Digel, and Carol Frances Digel. Services will be at 2:00 pm
Tuesday, June 14, 2005 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1120 Darley Road,
Wilmington, DE 19810, where friends may call at the church after 1:00 pm.
Burial will be in Chester Bethel Cemetery. Contributions can be made to
Trinity Presbyterian Church." |
FROM
RAY HESTER, FOUNDER
AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (1999 – 2004) THE DARLEY SOCIETY CLAYMONT,
DELAWARE Carol Digel
served as the Darley Society’s Research Historian since it began in 1999. She
was consistent in her dedication and hard work as she researched all aspects
of Felix Octavius Carr Darley’s life and career as America’s first
illustrator of note. She led the Society to focus on teaching about Darley's
contributions to art vs. just doing exhibits. She shared her learnings
with a world-wide audience via the Darley web site and the Dickens
Fellowship, as well as via lectures. She talked about Darley at every
opportunity as she came in contact with people from all walks of life. She was greatly appreciated and now greatly missed. |
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CAROL’S WORK WAS APPRECIATED
BY MANY OF THOSE WHO VIEWED THE WEB
SITE:
Carol was a great help in
putting me in contact with people who might appraise or authenticate this
dark and gruesome painting. I have not done much with the process having stumbled
a couple of times with appraisers not showing up when scheduled and I've had
no great motivation to pursue whether I have anything of value. I simply
check Darley’s name from time to time and when I saw that Carol had died I
felt that truly you/we have all lost someone who was very generous with time
and information. People like Carol leave us an
example that good and caring people do exist in what might otherwise be a
very cynically "me" oriented world. |
CAROL WORKED WITH SEVERAL OTHER GROUPS This is the photo of Carol and Mary Jane Mallonee (Darley & Dickens Societies) taken at the HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy in Philadelphia. They were delivering our annual gift of books from the Philadelphia Branch of the Dickens Fellowship. I believe this photo was taken in December of 2000 (or possibly 2001), and I believe the boy's |
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From: Gordon Pfeiffer, DELAWARE BIBLIOPHILES THIS
APPEARED IN THE “Delaware Bibliophiles Endpapers” Newsletter,
July, 2005 IN MEMORY OF CAROL DIGEL Your editor remembers a
meeting at Nat Puffer's home where Carol had brought a Darley illustrated
book for Show & Tell and Tom Beckman, from across the room recognized its
binding as being by Feely. Carol was thrilled to learn this. Gail Stanislow wrote that
"Carol was a tireless researcher, often ferreting out images and unknown
information about various artists and authors, in particular F.O.C. Darley.
She often posted new information or images she found on the Darley website.
She was happiest when she was discussing her passion for Darley, whose
artwork and books she collected." Two days before she died she had
forwarded to your editor the email she had received from Gail on the fact
that the Brandywine River Museum had bought a Darley sketchbook. Jim Bazzoli noted that he
"had known of Darley and seen some of his illustrations, but Carol's
knowledge and enthusiasm turned me on to him. Frances and I attended a
Bibliophile meeting in September of 2001 at Marah Coleman's bookshop at 7th
& Harrison and Carol and her husband were there. I had brought a hardback
copy of Yankee Doodle illustrated with interesting woodcuts for show &
tell. Carol had brought a copy of Yankee Doodle illustrated by Felix Darley.
I was thrilled and envious. A year or so later the Biggs
Museum presented a program by Carol on Darley. We attended and were further
enlightened by her slide program. She was a scholar and a fine
lady." We all agree! In addition to her husband, she is
survived by two daughters and one son and four grand children. We
extend our deepest sympathy.
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IN 2002, KAROL SCHMEIGEL,
DIRECTOR OF THE BIGGS MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
IN DOVER, DE HAD A MAJOR EXHIBIT OF DARLEY’S WORKS. Carol made a presentation at the event in reference to Darley’s
relationship with Washington Irving. She also gave this presentation in
Massachusetts at a Dickens Symposium.
(Pictured, left to right: Lorraine West, Martha Schiek, Carol, Gail Stanislow, Carolyn Mercadante
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Photo courtesy of The University of Delaware Library
Associates In 2003,
Elliot and Elieen Pollack made a major donation of a Darley work to the
University of Delaware. Carol played a big role in the initial contacts and
arranging for the proper contacts for the Pollacks. Above is a photo at the presentation |
YES, WE ALL REMEMBER CAROL AND HER SERVICE … SHE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR A LONG TIME |
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[ From Cynthia Cirile, added Nov. 9, 2005 ] I just was writing
a note to Carol, when something made me first go to the Darley website.
There, I found news of her passing, and saw the lovely memorial for her; with
so many friends and colleagues offering condolences, reminiscences, that I
knew I had to be one of that number. |
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