Mr. Harry Reginel DeChalus, 87, of Hagerstown, Maryland, and formerly of Gaithersburg, Maryland, fondly known to many as “Reggie”, died Friday evening February 9, 2024, at Hagerstown Health Care Center. He was the husband of Mrs. Catherine Marie Browder DeChalus, his wife of 66 years.
Born July 18, 1936, in the Bronx, New York City, New York, he was a son of the late Harry Reginel, Sr., and Anna Latham DeChalus. He was a graduate of the high school William H. Taft Educational Campus in New York City, New York and attended a couple of colleges in New York City, including New York City College and Columbia University.
Reggie retired as an instructor with IBM after previously serving as field and sales engineers, and as a consultant.
From a youngster, Reggie has always had an interest in electronics and the hi-tech world. His talents and vast knowledge allowed him to competently dabble in the field of chemistry; and to complete simpler tasks at home such as completely finishing a home addition. While his work moved him to live in various locations other than New York, it also allowed him to travel to a few places within the United States with his wife. Reggie was most often found in his spare time to either be on his computers or reading, quite often a trade journal in the technological field.
Reggie served as Board Member of Lord of Hope Ministries, Bartlett, Illinois
Surviving, besides his wife, are his children Reginel DeChalus and wife Joyce Rothrock of Gaithersburg, Maryland, Tyrone DeChalus of Smyrna, Georgia, Roscoe DeChalus and wife Revita of Bartlett, Illinois, Catherine DeChalus of Hagerstown, Maryland, and Sheila DeChalus-Campbell and husband Christian of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; his grandchildren Michelle DeChalus, Alicia Hayes and husband Billy, Reginel, Julie, Darnell, Lionell, and Noellemarie DeChalus, Christian and Joshua Campbell, Donald DeChalus, Jr., Nohelani DeChalus, Cordatra (Cory) Payne, and Christopher (CJ) Owens; his great grandchildren Gabriel and Micah Diaw, J’Vaughn DeChalus, Jawuan, Jelaysia, Jennifer and Julian Hayes, Reginel DeChalus, Kharma and Jabari Barkley, and Darby and Cooper Bashaw; as well as his sister Charlotte Dicks and her husband Essix of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and Barbara of New York; daughter-in-law Mindy DeChalus-Holmes of Charles Town, West Virginia; and many beloved family members including aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and former spouses.
In addition to his parents, Reggie was preceded in death by his son, Donald DeChalus on February 27, 2020; and by siblings Jerome, Margie, Larry, and Sarah DeChalus.
The family will receive friends at Andrew K. Coffman Funeral Home, 40 East Antietam Street, Hagerstown, Maryland on Friday, February 16, 2024, beginning at 11:30 AM. A funeral service will begin at the funeral home on Friday at 12:30 PM. Interment will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery, Hagerstown, Maryland.
Those wishing may offer condolences to the family at www.akcoffmanfh.com
