Lewis S. Hirt passed away peacefully and lovingly surrounded by his family at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008. He was 65.
    Mr. Hirt was born on June 2, 1943, in Scranton, Pa.
    He graduated from Clarks Summit Abington High School and attended Lackawanna Junior College, Scranton and University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio.
    Mr. Hirt’s lifelong career was in insurance and retail businesses.  His last position was manager of J & P Motors, Wilmington. His retirement began in 2003, following a serious illness.
    Lews interests in life were his family, his extended family, and a lifelong passion for all sports. He was a most avid fan of the Baltimore Orioles and Penn State Nittany Lions. He was a youth basketball and baseball coach during the decades of the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s in Pennsville, NJ. Here he served as President of the Little League in the late 1970s and ’80s. His coaching also included Brandywine Babe Ruth and the Wilmington Semi-Pro League in the 1990s.
    During his retirement he greatly enjoyed his family, and traveling to visit them including all extended members. His great pleasure was staying in touch with them as well as his vast array of life long friends and acquaintances through the telephone.
    Lew was a loving and generous man. Charming, gregarious, and blessed with a magnetic personality, people felt immediately drawn to him. He was a wonderful and generous host to all. Truly, he will be missed by all whose lives he touched and who had the great pleasure to know him.
    Mr. Hirt was predeceased by his parents, Julius and Jessie Hirt. He is survived by his devoted wife, Martha (Lafler) of Townsend; a daughter, Deborah Armstrong and her husband, Thomas, of Townsend; a son, Lewis, (Steve) Hirt and his wife, Lynn, of Hanover, Mass. His five surviving grandsons include: Justin of Townsend, and Chris of California and Tucker and Reed of Hanover; a brother, Arthur and his wife, Ele, of Waynesboro, Pa.; a nephew; four nieces; and several great nieces; three sisters-in-law; and one brother-in-law and their families. Lastly his most loved and favored mother-in-law, Lois M. Lafler of Johnson City, N.Y.
    The family would like to thank the nurses and doctors at the Christiana Hospital and University of Pennsylvania Hospital for all of their compassion and care.
    A service in celebration was held in the chapel at Gracelawn Memorial Park on Thursday, Oct. 16.
    In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Ministry of Caring, 506 N. Church St., Wilmington, DE 19801; the American Heart Association, 1096 Old Churchmans Road, Newark, DE 19713; or the Townsend Fire Company, P.O. Box 194, Townsend, DE 19734.
    Arrangements by the Strano & Feeley Family Funeral Home, Newark.