Delawareans gathered in Wilmington on Friday to honor Pete du Pont, the transformational governor whose influence is still embedded in state politics.
Du Pont died at 86 in May 2021 in his Wilmington home after battling a “long illness,” a representative for the family said at the time. A memorial service was not planned immediately following his death to due the pandemic.
Several notable politicians attended the memorial service at The Playhouse on Rodney Square, including U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, former Gov. Mike Castle and current Gov. John Carney.
Mehmet Oz, Republican candidate for Pennsylvania’s U.S. senate seat, was also in attendance. The wives of Oz and Ben du Pont, one of Pete du Pont’s sons, are sisters.
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Born into Delaware’s most famous family, du Pont broke from family tradition to become a politician. The state was engulfed in a financial crisis when he became governor in 1977. In eight years, du Pont led efforts to limit excess spending, dramatically cut income taxes and created a slew of government agencies.
His administration persuaded major banks to relocate to Delaware through tax cuts and deregulation, reestablishing Delaware as a corporate tax haven.
“He set a new standard for how we treat each other in this state,” Carney said in his remarks. “And it changed our expectations about ourselves. Some call it the Delaware Way, others a Return Day effort. Whatever you call it, it just meant working together to get things done.
“It’s something we take for granted now.”
Carney, who has had a similar political career path to du Pont, said the state’s economy is “built on the back of Governor du Pont’s decisions.”
The four du Pont children – Elise Zoller and Pierre, Ben and Thère du Pont – shared stories of their father, like how kept Snickers in a drawer of his desk for “emergencies” and only raised his voice when sailing.
Ben du Pont spoke of how he and his siblings had the chance to meet different dignitaries and celebrities because of their father. This included actress Elizabeth Taylor, who once stayed at the du Pont’s home. At breakfast, she asked for a beer.
During his political career, du Pont established himself as a moderate Republican as Delaware’s lone U.S. representative, advocating for the environment and campaign spending reform. His political career, post-governorship, included a failed run for the White House.
Du Pont’s politics moved farther right over the years, once described as a mixture of Reagan conservatism and libertarianism.
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In his eulogy, columnist George Will noted how du Pont’s politics and values are in contrast to the politics of today. He said it is du Pont’s “cheerfulness that American politics today misses the most.”
Throughout the memorial service, many commented on how well liked du Pont was by the people who worked for him and by politicians on both sides of the aisle.
“Winston Churchill said that meeting Franklin Roosevelt was like opening a bottle of champagne,” Will said. “Pete was like that. He was a tonic in human form, a stimulant for all who had the pleasure of his company.”
The memorial service concluded with a singing of “God Bless America,” a nod to du Pont’s favorite sports team the Philadelphia Flyers, which plays a rendition of it before every game.
Lauren Hart, the longtime anthem singer for the Flyers, led the song in a pre-recorded video. She wore du Pont’s jersey.
Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 256-2466 or at mnewman@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MereNewman.