World War II veteran, laboring farmer, skilled craftsman and prominent politician; Richard Timmons L. Timmons seemed to have it all, though he started with very little. Today, his role as a proud and supportive father keeps him alive in the hearts of the ones who knew him best.
Born in Wilmington in 1921 to the late Violetus and Grace Malin Timmons, Timmons’ father sought work in the shipyards following World War I. “After that work dried up,” stated Timmons’ son, Dick Timmons, “the family moved back here, where they had a farm up at the Indian River power station.”
With no electricity until he was in junior high school, his upbringing was rather daunting. He later attended Lord Baltimore High School, prior to its merging with the Indian River School District. “During the years of the Depression,” noted Dick Timmons, “his father [Violetus] made between $10 and $15 a week.”
“They were rather poor, and really had to live off the land and water growing up,” said son, Glenn Timmons. After high school, Richard Timmons studied diesel engineering at Jordan Technical School in Philadelphia.
Timmons was a veteran of World War II, serving in the 80th Infantry Division, 3rd Army. He was an automatic rifleman in the Battle of the Bulge, and a military policeman after the war, during the occupancy of Germany. Subsequent to his time at war, Timmons married his wife, Ruth, with whom he had three sons, Richard Timmons “Dick” Timmons Jr., Donald and Glenn Timmons. He also had two brothers, Harry and James, who live in Ocean View.
“He was always a firm believer in education,” said Dick Timmons. “He encouraged all three of his sons to get a college education, and we did. He and Mom were always proud of that. We borrowed a little money and worked the whole time we were in school, but he was always supportive.” The three brothers are all University of Delaware alums.
Once married and settled, Richard Timmons spent a great deal of his life farming and building houses.
“He let us have almost every animal you can imagine on the farm,” Glenn Timmons said with a laugh. “Chickens, goats, ponies, ducks, pigs, cow, rabbits…”
“We had a great life growing up,” recalled Dick Timmons. “Never really had a lot of money, but our father let us do whatever we wanted on this farm. I was obsessed with baseball and he built me a diamond here on the farm.”
Timmons began a partnership with Bill Chandler, father of Delaware Chancery Court Judge William Chandler, and started Coastal Constructions. From furniture to houses — including his Ocean View home in 1965 — Richard Timmons became a master at the trade.
He also constructed the booths in Dumser’s Dairyland restaurants, in Ocean City, Md., owned by son Donald. Richard Timmons helped design the interior construction, which he emulated from Ern Dennis, a popular bar hangout in Selbyville that he and wife Ruth frequented while growing up.
When it came to his political role in the area, Richard Timmons was a catalyst in Sussex County’s development. Timmons was elected to the Sussex County Levy Court in 1968 and served there along with business partner Chandler. The position helped Timmons establish a County Council form of government, which ultimately led to him becoming the first president of the Sussex County Council in 1970. Prior to his taking that position, the Levy Court had very limited power.
“As county council president,” said Dick Timmons, “you could pretty much run the county. When he was first elected to Levy Court, the tradition was that all the county jobs were patronage jobs, meaning if Democrats controlled the county council, then those who worked for government were Democrat, and if Republicans took over, everyone lost their jobs. When Dad and Bill Chandler won, the party lines changed, but they did not fire the people just because of their politics. We were proud of him for that.”
“[Being elected county council president] was really an honor for him,” said Glenn Timmons.
“He really threw himself into that with everything he had,” said Dick Timmons. “At the time, it was little or no pay, and he spent an unbelievable time on that, working for the county, going to the meetings, giving speeches.”
Richard Timmons formed planning and zoning ordinances, and established sewer and water districts in the Ocean View area. “The zoning ordinance was a really big deal in Sussex County, and all this development couldn’t have happened if he didn’t bring the water and sewer to the area.”
“He had a deep commitment and love for the area,” added Dick Timmons. “He knew a lot of people here.”
Richard Timmons was also active in the Lord Baltimore Lions Club for more than 46 years, as well as in the Ocean View Presbyterian Church. “He held nearly every office you could have with the Lions Club,” said Dick Timmons.
After his retirement from construction in 1983, Richard Timmons continued his love for woodwork and created countless wooden toys. “He had a workshop behind the house,” said Dick Timmons. “He spent hours in the shop. He did that for nearly 23 years.” Richard Timmons traveled to craft shows to sell his toys, from Sunfest and Springfest, to Brandywine and Towson, to the Lewes Historical Society and the Bethany Beach Boardwalk Art Show. “He never got much money from them, but he loved making them.”
His wife, Ruth, predeceased him on Nov. 1, 2001. “He took care of her and was always by her side in the months leading up to her passing,” said Dick Timmons. “He really loved her and cared for her. As he started getting worse this year, there was always one of the sons here with him, 24 hours a day.”
Richard L. Timmons passed at his home on Friday, Oct. 27, at the age of 85.
“We miss him. He had a great life, and I think he managed to do everything he wanted,” said Dick Timmons. “We really have a lot to be thankful for.”