Obituaries by LocationRAYMOND GEORGE
Services were held for Raymond George, 87, widower of Elizabeth (Grater) George, formerly of East Coventry, who died Dec. 11 at the Frederick Mennonite Community. Born in Reading, he resided most of his life in East Coventry and was educated in Reading and Royersford schools. He was employed in the maintenance department of the former Diamond Glass Co. in Royersford for more than 33 years, retiring in 1973. Surviving are two daughters, Ruth Mathias of Daytona Beach, Fla.; Shirley, wife of Francis X. Bernard of Chester Springs; two sons, Donald E. George of Spring City; Robert C. George of Royersford; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. The arrangements were handled by the Cattermole-Klotzbach Funeral Home, Royersford.
LAWRENCE M. KEMP
Services were held for Lawrence M. Kemp, 87, husband of Dorothy C. (Eline) Kemp, of Forgedale Road, Barto, who had been a resident at Pennsburg Manor the past nine months. He had been a patient at the Mercy Suburban Hospital, Norristown, where he had been a patient for two weeks. Born in District Township, he was employed as a laborer by Longacre’s Dairy, Bally, for more than 30 years until his retirement in 1983. He was a life member of the Pike Township Sportsman’s Association, Liberty Fire Co., New Berlinville, and Bally Fire Co. He was a member of Keystone Fire Co., Bechtelsville. In addition to his wife, he is survived by four sons, Kenneth L. Kemp of Pa., Charles W. Adam of Barto, Leon F. Adam at home, and James D. Adam of Robesonia; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by two brothers and two sisters. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 501 Washington St., Reading, PA 19601. The arrangements were handled by the Linwood W. Ott Funeral Home Inc., Boyertown.
HAROLD TRUMBAUER JR.
Services were held for Harold B. Trumbauer Jr., 78, husband of Dorothy A. (Jenkins) Trumbauer, of Romig Road, Gilbertsville, who died Dec. 11 in Phoenixville Manor. Born in Kulpsville, he was employed as a truck driver for Chemical Lehman Tank Lines Inc., Croydon, Bucks County. Mr. and Mrs. Trumbauer had celebrated 52 years of marriage in May. Trumbauer was a member of the Teamsters Local No. 384. He attended the New Hanover United Methodist Church, in Gilbertsville. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Marlene T., wife of Edward C. Walford, West Palm Beach, Fla., and Brenda L. Trumbauer, of Milwaukee, Wis. Also three sisters and five grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a son, Douglas C. Trumbauer. Memorial donations may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation Inc., 1501 N.W. 9th Ave., Bob Hope Road, Miami, FL 33136. The arrangements were handled by the Catagnus Funeral Home, Gilbertsville.
VIRGIE M. BELLES
Services were held for Virgie M. Belles, 91, formerly of Pricetown Road, Ruscombmanor Township, who died Dec. 13 in Berks Heim, where she had resided since 1998. Her husband, Clifford L. Belles, died in 1999. Born in Valley View, Schuylkill County, she was a registered nurse, serving more than 20 years in the Army Nurse Corps, retiring as a major in 1965. She was a veteran of World War II. She was a member of Advent Lutheran Church, West Lawn. Belles was a 1930 graduate of Harrisburg Polyclinic Hospital School of Nursing. Surviving are a brother; two sisters; three grandchildren and a great-grandson. The arrangements were handled by the Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home Inc., West Reading.
CHLOE ANNA OYLER
Private services were held for Chloe Anna Oyler, infant daughter of Jeffrey and Jayne (Wills) Oyler, of Gilbertsville, who died Dec. 14 at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She was born in Phoenixville. In addition to her parents, she is survived by her maternal grandparents, Theodore C. and Mary A. (Miller) Wills, of Frederick; her paternal grandparents, Jeffrey L. Oyler of Norristown and Jacqueline Sexton of Blue Bell; and her paternal great-grandparents, Clarence Smith, of Blue Bell. The arrangements were handled by the R. L. Williams Jr. Funeral Home Inc., Skippack.
JOHN J. RHOADS III
Services were held for John J. "Jack" Rhoads III, 49, of Edge Hill Road, Boyertown, who died Dec. 14 at Beverly Manor, Exeter, where he was a patient since October. Born in Pottstown, he was a son of Gladys Mae (Weidner) and John J. Rhoads Jr., of Edge Hill Road, Boyertown. He worked for Valley Protein Inc., of East Earl, as a truck dispatcher for 30 years. Rhoads was a member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Obelisk, as well as the Oley Fire Co. In addition to his parents, he is survived by five sisters, Nancy L., wife of Joe Hamel, of East Douglass, Mass., Gladys M., wife of David Collet, of Brooklyn, N.Y., Penny L. Delp, of Bechtelsville, Carol A. Klee, of Fort McCoy, Fla. and Cindy J., wife of Dannie M. Thomas, of Boyertown. Memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 2045 Westgate Drive, Suite 302, Bethlehem, PA 18107 or to the American Cancer Society, Berks County Unit, 498 Bellevue Ave., Reading, PA 19605. The arrangements were handled by the Linwood W. Ott Funeral Home, Boyertown.
FERN E. RHOADS
Private services were held for Fern E. "Dusty" Rhoads, 78, of St. Lawrence Garden Apartments, 2900 Oley Turnpike Road, Oley Township, who died in the Reading Hospital on Dec. 15. Born in Waukegan, Ill, she was employed for many years as a bank teller at Reading Trust Co., Fifth and Cherry streets, Reading and was a bus driver for the Exeter School District for four years. Surviving are a son, Robert A. Windmiller, Pottstown, and a daughter, Lynn D. (Windmiller) Bialek, Birdsboro. She is also survived by two brothers; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. The Auman Funeral Home, Reiffton, will be in charge of the arrangements.
HOWARD ACKERMAN
Services were held for Howard H. Ackerman, 85, widower of Grace M. (Headman) Ackerman, of Ashford Lane, Hereford, formerly of Barto, who died Dec. 14 at his home. Born in Lower Milford, Lehigh County, Ackerman was a self-employed crop and dairy farmer for most of his life. He owned and operated the former Schultz Farm on Route 100 in Hereford from 1955 to 1967. He also owned the former Headman Farm in Upper Hanover (from 1950 to 1955) and the Hock Farm in Upper Hanover (from 1940 to 1950). After farming, he worked at C&D Batteries in Bechtelsville for eight years before retiring in 1985. He is survived by a daughter, Elaine M., wife of Vernon Hamm, of Hereford; two grandsons and eight great-grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice. The Mann-Slonaker Funeral Home, East Greenville, handled the arrangements.
MAURICE ROTH
Masonic services were held by the Stitcher Lodge 254, Pottstown for Maurice "Mush" Roth, 89, who died Dec. 14 in St. Joseph Medical Center, Reading. He was the husband of Lucille (Metzler) Roth, of Oak Tree Court, Frederick, he formerly resided on Sunset Drive, in Pottstown. Known to the community as "Mush," Roth served as the Goodwill Fire Co. fire chief for 30 years, and continued to serve as president following his retirement in 1990. Roth, served as Pottstown’s Assistant Fire Chief for many years, was also a member of the Empire Hook and Ladder Fire Co., the Philadelphia Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1, Pottstown, the North End and Sanatoga Fire companies. He was recognized by former Pennsylvania Gov. Richard Thornburgh and former President Ronald Reagan for his 50-plus years of dedicated service to the firefighting community. Roth owned and operated Roth Dry Cleaners, in Pottstown, for 47 years before retiring in 1982. He was a member of Stitcher Lodge 254, F&AM, Pottstown; the Reading Consistory; the Rajah Temple, Reading; and the Pottstown Lions Club, where he was a past president. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three sons, Ronal Roth, of Harmonyille, Bernie Roth of Chester Springs, and Roger A. Roth, of Ambler; four sisters, five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to the Pottstown Area Visiting Nurses Association, 1963 E. High St., Pottstown, PA 19464; The American Cancer Society, c/o Robert Moses, 1830 E. High St., Pottstown, PA 19464; or to the Maurice "Mush" Roth Memorial Fund, c/o the Goodwill Fire Co., 714 High St., Pottstown, PA 19464. The arrangements were handled by the Schumacher and Benner Funeral Home, Pottstown.
AGNES H. GOTTSHALL
Services will be Thursday for Agnes H. Gottshall, 97, widow of Franklin H. Gottshall, of East Fourth Street, Boyertown, who died Dec. 17 at Pennsburg Manor, Pennsburg, where she had been a patient. She was born in Cedartown, Ga., and graduated from Mount Berry Academy and Berry College in Mount Berry, Ga. In the late 1940s, she was a home economics teacher at Boyertown High School. She also worked as a long-term substitute and for two years as a cafeteria worker for the district, retiring in 1962. Gottshall was a member of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Boyertown. A former member of the Boyertown Women’s Club, Mrs. Gottshall was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star of Georgia. She is survived by a son, Bruce H. Gottshall, Boyertown; one granddaughter and two great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by four sisters and one son, Franklin H. Gottshall Jr., who died in 1996. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 45 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown, the Rev. John G. Pearson, pastor, officiating. Friends will be received at the church from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Memorial contributions may be made to St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 45 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown, PA 19512. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery , Boyertown. The arrangements are being handled by the Linwood W. Ott Funeral Home, Boyertown.
