Get To Know Your Neighbors

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Charles Lamont Ringgold, Jr.

Occupation: Truck Driver for Russell Plywood and Newly Elected Councilman

Family: Krystal Ringgold, Lamont and Caroline Ringgold

Hobbies: Snowboarding, Coach and Drawing. I won two drawing contests in the past in both Delaware and Maryland. I like staying very active and spending time with my family.

What do you like most about living in Cecilton? It’s peaceful and I consider it my forever home! I’m going to retire here. I see older and younger residents alike walking and riding their bikes through town. Everyone is family. I love raising my kids in this environment. You can count on your neighbors. I love it!

Do you have any fond memories of your neighbors? Yes! I can count on my neighbors to help with my kids if needed. Ms. Sue Katzmire is my neighbor. She will always be one of my best friends and neighbor. She is the reason I was able to follow through on “Make A Difference Day”. I will always appreciate that.

What advice do you have for someone who just moved to here? Get to know your neighbors! Ms. Bobby is my next door neighbor and is such a nice lady. I take a meal over to her every once in a while. I guess just get outside and live life! I love seeing kids outside just being kids and enjoying the outdoors. That’s what happens here. I love that!

Brenda Ross

“I live in Cecilton, Maryland but I am a New Yorker at heart!”

Occupation: Lumber Counter Supervisor at American Home and Hardware in Elkton, Maryland. Cecilton Election Board Supervisor since 2001. President of the Cecil County Board of Elections. Cecilton Parish United Methodist Women President.

Family: Children Nick and Ashton

Hobbies: Working in the yard. Playing fetch with my dog “Skippy” and volunteering to help others.

What do you like most about living in Cecilton? I really like the fact that I can walk to church and all over town. I like helping my neighbors especially Miss. Becky who I visit often.

Do you have any fond memories of your neighbors? Yes, Lily Ferguson. She was our neighbor when we first moved here. My children were very tiny and she was well into her nineties. Not having had children of her own she was so fascinated with mine and loved watching them grow. She always gave them Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies. When she passed away it was found that she stockpiled Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Everyone was questioning why she had so many cookies. I knew why. She always kept us supplied with homemade bread pudding. We would always walk back and forth between yards to visit.

What advice do you have for someone who just moved here? Get to know your neighbors! Volunteer with a local organization and join a church. Get outside and take in this small town we are all so lucky to live in.

James “Cooper” Wilmore

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I’m named after my grandfather James Cooper. He was my mom’s father and he always looked after me. I spent most of my time with him. I was raised in an old farm house on a hill on Wards Hill Road. Most people call me “Mr. Jimmy”. I’m a friend to all.

Occupation: Farmer

Family:  Parents Katie Cooper and Joe Wilmore Two sisters and a brother live in Wilmington, Delaware

Hobbies: Riding my bicycle, spending time with my friends, mowing and weed eating. Helping out anyone in town who needs it.

What do you like most about living in Cecilton?: I like everything about living in Cecilton. I’m 83 years old and I’ve always lived here. I can remember when Cecilton had a blacksmith shop, an ice house, a butcher shop, grocery store, hardware store and a dry goods store. I plan on being here for the rest of my life.

Do you have any fond memories of your neighbors?: Yes, I miss my old friend Mr. Wise. We went everywhere together in his truck. We spent a lot of time together and when he could no longer drive we would just sit in the truck in his driveway and talk. I sure do miss him. His daughter Sherry still lives in his place. My neighbor Luke is new here. He’s really nice and is a veteran. I really like him. All my neighbors are good. They look after me and sometimes bring me food.

What advice do you have for someone who just moved here?: Come see town hall. They’ll answer all your questions. I always tell people to go up town for help. Your good people. A lot of nice people live in Cecilton.

Deanna Cheyney

“Blessed to have been born into a family that has served our community for generations”

I’m a fourth generation leader at the Cecilton Volunteer Fire Company and the youngest CVFC President. I’m serving my third elected term having been elected to my first term at the young age of 21 years. I’m a Maryland State EMT and am currently in IV Technician training.

Occupation: Manufacturing Trainer for Terumo Medical Corporation in Elkton, Maryland.

Family:  Kayleigh Sakers David Sakers

Hobbies: Serving Others, Boating and Photography

What do you like most about living in Cecilton?: It’s a quiet town where everyone knows one another. Cecilton has always been home to both sides of my family.

Do you have any fond memories of your neighbors?: Yes! My grandparents used to live across the street from the Cecilton Volunteer Fire Company. I used to do a lot of front porch sitting at their house with my cousins. I worked my first job at Turner’s Produce with my cousins Robert, Holly and Candice. The produce stand was right next to my Grandmother Dollie Cheyney’s house. She still resides there. The produce stand was a hot spot for locals. My Uncle Bobby Turner owned it. We spent a lot of time picking squash and other vegetables in extreme heat on his farm in Warwick, Maryland. I’m thankful that I was able to spend so much time with my cousins.

What advice do you have for someone who just moved here?: VOLUNTEER! Whether it’s for the Cecilton Volunteer Fire Company, Cecilton Lions Club, Ruritans or a local church. We can all use volunteers! It’s a great way to support your community and get to know others. It’s important to note, the CVFC is 100% volunteer with no paid staff. If you’re interested in learning more about volunteering for the CVFC please call 410-275-8686.

John Richard Day

“I’m just a guy who got lucky and can carve”

I learned by watching my brother Steve.  I’ve lived in Cecilton since 1979 after moving here from Chesapeake City.

Occupation: Supervisor for a utility company in Cape May County.

John Day Decoys: I have one of my rock fish carvings hanging above a delegate’s door in Annapolis. I was Cecil County Art Council’s featured artist for November 2018.

Family:  Parents Johnny and Virginia Day; Brother Steve Day resides in Earleville, MD

Hobbies: Decoy Carving

What do you like most about living in Cecilton?
Having worked most of my life in South Jersey, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.  Whenever a home is for sale here I tell my coworkers.  I like living in a small town.  I’m never leaving.

Do you have any fond memories of your neighbors?
Do I?  I have so many.   Everyone I grew up with were my friends.   We would all meet after school at the church lot to play whatever sport was in season.   I spent a lot of time on Bud Davis’s farm with Billy and Joel Harris.   We would bale hay in the morning and hunt or fish in the afternoon.  I liked to hang out at the Texaco on the corner with the Frank Biggs and the Favarulo Brothers.  Ralph and Joey!  We would hang out on the corner and wash cars.  Ride our bikes all the way to Crystal Beach.  My neighbors Bobby and Edith Davis who have lived here forever used to own the old Arco Station on the corner where the Royal Farms is now.  You could get just about anything there.   I would get BB’s for my BB gun, gas, a tire fixed, anything you needed and they’d let me run a tab and I would settle it when I got my paycheck.  My dog “Droopy” used to walk down to the Arco first thing in the morning and sit there all day.  When Mr. Davis closed the station for the night “Droopy” would wander home.

What advice do you give someone who just moved here?
Small town living is the best.  If you have ever lived in a small town you know you would never change it for anything.  We’re all friends.

Miss Becky

“104 year old Marylander through & through”

Name: Ada Rebecca Smith, better known as Miss Becky.

Born in a blizzard and ice storm in Cecilton in a house that no longer exists but was located next to Mackie’s which was a feed store owned by her father.

Occupation: Retired CCPS Teacher 41 years; Retired Orphans Court Judge 24 years

Family: Parents Daniel Evert Smith & Alice Bennett Smith; 97 year old baby brother Daniel Bennett Smith

Hobbies: Crossword Puzzles; Visiting Rehoboth, DE & Ocean City, MD; Watching Sports – Orioles & Ravens Fan

What do you like most about living in Cecilton?: To me it’s home! It’s been my life. I like the smallness of the town. At one time I knew every single person who lived in it. We were a town family that celebrated together and mourned together.

Do you have any fond memories of your neighbors?: All my classmates were my best friends. The wedding of my best friend. The only wedding I was ever in. It was for Henrietta McCubbin Davis. Henrietta’s father owned the store where the Royal Farms is currently located.

What advice do you have for someone who just moved here?: Be happy that you moved to a small progressive town. Become an active citizen.

 Miss Becky and her baby brother Daniel Bennett Smith.