Earl Edwin Seppala

Earl Edwin Seppala, age 87, of Hockessin, Delaware, passed away on October 30, 2026, at Cokesbury Village. He was the husband of Sylvia Seppala, with whom he shared nearly 63 years of marriage. Born in Detroit, MI, July 8, 1939, he was the son of the late George Seppala and the late Mae (Hannula) Seppala.

Earl Seppala served his state and nation admirably for 32 years from 1961 to 1993. He was Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and served on active duty for two and a half years. He then transferred to Army Reserves for two years and shortly after he transferred to the Delaware Army National Guard (DEARNG) in 1966. As an Ordnance Officer, he served in a multitude of challenging assignments for over 27 years before retiring as a Colonel.

Earl was community conscious and a patriot, and he was a member of many civic and veteran service organizations. He was a member and board member of the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation and served as Executive Director for a period. He was also a board member of the Old Swedes Church, the American Swedish Historical Museum, the New Sweden Center, and the Delaware Military Heritage and Education Foundation. He was also an active participant in the planning and development of the Delaware Military Museum and served in leadership positions for the Delaware Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars.

Earl graduated from Michigan Technological University with both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Professionally, Earl was an engineer and worked for 30 years for the DuPont Corporation. He followed this with 4 years at Dade Behring Inc. and officially retired in 2000. Earl received many awards and recognitions for his patents and work.

Earl and his wife, Sylvia met during a blind date and Sylvia often referred to Earl as her sweetheart. Together they were members of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, DE. The two loved to travel and learn about the history of the places they visited. They went abroad many times on multiple European river cruises and many trips to Finland. Earl and Sylvia loved to learn about their family history and share their knowledge with others. This interest led to both being a part of the recreation and building of the Kalmar Nyckel and even learning how to crew aboard the beautiful ship.

Earl will be remembered for his dedication to his country and service to others. Earl had a generous heart and often gave of his time and talents to many causes he and Sylvia held dear. Throughout his life, Earl remained deeply rooted in his Finnish-American heritage. He was a dedicated and cherished member of many Finnish/Swedish organizations, where he spent decades preserving and celebrating the customs of his ancestors. Whether he was stoking the sauna in the upper peninsula of Michigan, enjoying fresh nisu or pasty with family, participating in FinnFest, his pride in his culture was evident to all who knew him. Earl lived a long, full life defined by service, deep integrity, and the enduring Finnish spirit of sisu—an extraordinary resilience, quiet determination, and strength of character that guided him through every chapter of his 87 years.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his nieces, Karen Hossfeld (Dave) and Michelle Seppala Gibbs (Travis) and their children. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his younger brother, Paul Seppala last October.

You are invited to Earl's Life Celebration Memorial service at 12 Noon, Monday November 16, 2026, at the Cokesbury Village auditorium, 726 Loveville Road, Hockessin, DE with a reception to follow in the lower atrium at Cokesbury Village. Interment with military honors will be held privately before the memorial service at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Bear Delaware.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association https://Alzheimer's Association /.

Arrangements are by Grieco Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. (484-734-8100) of Kennett Square. To view his online obituary, please visit www.griecofunerals.com.