GEORGETOWN, Del. - A pillar of the Georgetown community has passed away.
Ronald Dodd was born on Nov. 11, 1933. He attended the University of Delaware and is a member of the Beta Epsilon Chapter of Kappa Alpha.
Years down the line, Dodd helped restore the tradition of Return Day. He then served as the Town Crier for 30 years, putting on his uniform every two years to read the returns of the election.
His grand nephew, Kirk Lawson, now carries on that tradition as the current Town Crier.
Ronald F. Dodd passed away on Christmas Day at the age of 92. Lawson says Dodd's impact on Georgetown goes far beyond Town Crier.
"He was a lot of things. You know, I'm going to be biased as a grand nephew, but he was a lot of things to the town of Georgetown," said Lawson.
Dodd was a truck driver for his family's chicken feed supply store. He also served in the United States Army and went to mortuary school.
He then became a funeral director and mortician for 30 years at what is now known as Parsell Funeral Homes and Crematorium - Dodd-Carey Chapel in Georgetown.
Parsell Funeral Homes and Crematorium - Dodd-Carey Chapel, est. 1865 in Georgetown.
However, there is one thing that stood out the most about Mr. Dodd.
"Geneaology, I think, would be what most people remember him for. I know a lot more about all the people I'm related to and a lot of other people do as well from his research."
During his time with the funeral home, he worked with Disney on their film Dead Poets Society where he provided a hearse and his services as a funeral director. While the scene did not make the final cut, the short clip can be viewed on Youtube.
Dodd passed down his original hat that he wore on Return Day to Lawson. It's a tradition that will likely come to an end as the nephew starts his own as Town Crier.
"I think I'm going to retire this old hat. It is rough and seen its fair share. It definitely has served its time and I have a new one that was his that he never wore. It's brand new in the box and I think in two years, I will get it out," Lawson shared.
Lawson plans to preserve this piece of history, something he and his great uncle both love.
"This old hat will get put up on a shelf somewhere where we can tell stories about it."
Dodd's love for history carried over in to film, as he was featured in a one hour long documentary called Portrait of America. Portrait of America was compromised of 55 one hour long documentaries about every state and U.S. territory. Dodd was featured in the episode about Delaware's history.
Ronnie Dodd reading the returns of the election in the Portrait of America documentary.
Dodd's role in the traditions of Georgetown lives on.