Richard M. Harmel

Richard M. Harmel, passed away peacefully at home, on Thursday, July 2, 2026, he was 78. Mr. Harmel was born in Washington, DC to the late, Rudolf and Maxine Harmel.

Mr. Harmel served his country proudly in the United States Air Force. After the military, he became an engineer for the US government.

One of the greatest joys that Mr. Harmel experienced was being a musician. He played the trumpet and trombone and was in several different bands over the years. He was part of the Milford Community Band, Dance Band, and one of his favorites that he had the most fun with and really let loose was a German Band. He enjoyed taking occasional trips on his Can-Am motorcycle, working on computers, tinkering with his cars, and taking things apart to learn how they worked. He enjoyed history and collecting Civil War artifacts and liked to take apart broken electronics and see if he could make them work again.

Mr. Harmel will be remembered as a laid-back, low-key person who stayed on the quiet side, until he had a musical instrument in his hand. He enjoyed having fun and his zest for life will be sadly missed.

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his first wife, Edna Sue Harmel, and a sister, Julia Reed.

He is survived by his loving wife, Daneen Harmel; stepsons, David and Henry Burks; nephews, Marty Reed and Bill Walls.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mr. Harmel’s honor to the Wounded Warriors Project at: https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org.

A Funeral Service will take place on Wednesday July 15th, at 11 am with a visitation starting at 10 am, at the Thomas E. Melvin & Son Funeral Home, 155522 South DuPont Hwy., Harrington. Interment will take place at the Delaware Veterans Cemetery in Millsboro at 2 PM.

Arrangements are entrusted to the Thomas E. Melvin & Son Funeral Home, please visit us at www.melvinfuneralhome.com to express or send condolences.