Father of Delaware governor dead at 85

DOVER, Del. (AP) - March 12, 2009 The elder Markell died Wednesday night at a hospital in South Florida, where he had been vacationing with his wife, Leni. A spokesman for Gov. Markell, Joseph Rogalsky, says the governor was with his father when he died.

Rogalsky said the elder Markell fell and hit his head Tuesday while on a cruise ship off the Florida coast, which led to bleeding in his brain.

Markell retired in 1993 after 35 years as an accounting professor and administrator at the University of Delaware.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by three children.

Services will be held at Temple Beth El in Newark at 1 p.m. Sunday.

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