Obituaries by LocationRICHARD BORTZ
Services will be Thursday for Richard L. Bortz, 73, of Toll House Road, Oley, who died July 27 in his home. He was the husband of Betty F. (Reinert) Bortz.
Born in Reading, he retired as a brick layer for the former Stanely G. Flagg Co. in Stowe.
He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Oley.
Bortz was a member of the Pike Township Sportsmen’s Association and the Earl Township Fire Company.
He is survived by three sons, Robert A. Bortz and Ronald G. Bortz, both of Oley, and Ricky L. Bortz of Douglassville; three daughters, Carol A. Ludwig of Douglassville, Kathy L. Sheetz of Mesquite, Nev., and Betsy L. Bartman of Oley.
Also four brothers; three sisters; 16 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by two brothers.
Donations may be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 342 Lobachsville Road, Oley, PA 19547.
Calling hours will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday in the Christ & Catagnus Funeral Home, 423 Main St., Oley.
Services will be at 11 a.m. with Pastor Charles Adami Jr. officiating.
Burial will be private.
OLIVIA B. KRATZ
Services were held for Olivia Bertha (Mertz) Kratz, 71, of Kratz Road in Union, who died in her home on Nov.17. She was the wife of Donald Eugene Kratz.
Kratz was born in the Friedensburg section of Oley.
She worked as the head cook of the Daniel Boone School District for 30 years, retiring in 1992. She previously worked at the former Tung Sol’s in Boyertown for 10 years.
She was a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Geigertown.
She was a past president of the Asbury Bible Class at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church for 27 years, last serving in 1998. She taught Sunday school there for 10 years.
Surviving in addition to her husband are two daughters, Sharon Kay Zerr of Geigertown and Lois Ann Geyer of Conestoga, Lancaster County.
Also two brothers: Oscar Y. Mertz of Boyertown; Carl Y. Mertz of Gilbertsville; a sister, Anna Mable Dierolf, Gilbertsville, four grandchildren and one great grandaughter.
She was predeceased by two sisters and four brothers.
The Dengler Funeral Home, Birdsboro, handled the arrangements.
Contributions may be made to St. Paul’s United Methodist Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 6, Geigertown, PA 19523.
RALPH W. SCHOENLY JR.
Services were held for Ralph W. Schoenly Jr., 62, husband of Sylvia A. (Rinehart) Schoenly of Hill Road in Douglass (Mont.), who died November 18 at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center.
Born in Barto, he worked as a truck driver for 31 years for Waste Management in Gilbertsville. He also worked on the family farm, where he lived.
Schoenly was a member of the Lineback Association, a cow breeder’s organization.
He attended Shepherd of the Hills United Church of Christ in Bechtelville.
In addition to his wife of 43 years, Schoenly is survived by a son, Ralph W. Schoenly III of Barto; two daughters, Cindy Kern of Barto, Alice Schoenly, Boyertown.
Also, two brothers: Paul Schoenly, Boyertown and Kenneth Schoenly of Barto; five sisters: Marion Miller, Boyertown; Betty Walters, Sterling, PA.; Grace Dotterer of Gilbertsville; Susan Hoffman, Barto; and Joan Hess of Barto.
There are also four grandsons.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by a daughter and three brothers.
Burial was in the Shepherd of the Hills Cemetery in Bechtelsville.
The arrangements were handled by the Mann-Slonaker Funeral Home, East Greenville.
NEOLA M. RHOADS
Services were held for Neola M. (Stauffer) Rhoads, 84, formerly of Bechtelsville, who died November 18 at Sanatoga Court in Lower Pottsgrove, where she had been a patient for two years.
She was the widow of Harrison C. Rhoads.
Born in Bechtelsville, she was a sewing machine operator at the former Boyertown Casket Co., retiring in 1968.
She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church, Bechtelsville.
Surviving is a niece; a nephew and six step-granddaughters.
She was preceded in death by a stepson and a sister.
Contributions may be sent to the Trinity Lutheran Church, 1749 S. Main St., Bechtelsville, PA 19505.
Burial was in Bechtelsville Union Cemetery .
The arrangements were handled by the Linwood W. Ott Funeral Home Inc., Boyertown.
LEROY W. STELTZ
Services were held for Leroy W. Steltz, 83, of Dogwood Drive, Douglassville, formerly of Terrace Lane, Pottstown, who died November 20 in Pottstown Memorial Medical Center.
He was the widower of Margaret B. (Boyer) Steltz.
Born in Gilbertsville, Steltz worked for the Bethlehem Steel Co. for more than 30 years as a laborer and a crane operator.
He was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Douglassville.
Steltz served in the Army during World War II.
Surviving are a son, Ronald G. Steltz; one daughter, Sherry D. Rhoads of Exeter; a grandson and a granddaughter.
Contributions may be made to Manatawny Manor Day Care, Old Schuylkill Road, P.O. Box 799, Pottstown, PA 19465.
The arrangements were handled by the Schumacher and Benner Funeral Home, King St., Pottstown.
Burial was in Highland Memorial Park, Pottstown.
EVELYN D. EBERLY
Graveside serevices were held for Evelyn D. (Mayberry) Eberly, 95, formerly of Boyertown, who died November 18 at the Frederick Mennonite Community in Upper Frederick.
She was the widow of Howard L. Eberly.
Born in Red Hill, she worked as a seamstress in a clothing factory in Boyertown.
She was a member of Good Shepherd United Church of Christ in Boyertown.
Eberly is survived by a daughter-in-law, Audrey J. Eberly of Willow Grove; and three grandchildren.
Burial was in the Fairview Cemetery .
The arrangements were handled by the Linwood W. Ott Funeral Home, in Boyertown.
CLARA E. HILL
Private arrangements were held for Clara Elizabeth (Gaugler) Hill, 81, of Dairy Lane in Barto, who died November 18 in the Lehigh Valley Hospital, near Allentown.
She was the widow of C. Lester Hill.
Born in Graterford, Hill was a homemaker.
Surviving are two sons, Edwin L. Hill, Perkiomenville and Grant C. Hill, also of Perkiomenville.
Also, one sister, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a son, a grandson and a great-granddaughter.
Donations may be made to the Meals On Wheels, Spring Street, Boyertown, PA 19512.
The arrangements were handled by the David J. Boyko Funeral Home of Macungie.
TIMOTHY F. CUSHMAN
Services were held for Timothy F. Cushman, 25, husband of Elizabeth A. (Grim) Cushman of Old Swede Road, in Amity Township,.
Cushman died November 16 at the Lehigh Valley Hospital Center near Allentown from injuries he sustained in a motorcycle accident on Route 562.
Born in Baltimore, he was a son of Edward Cushman of Pottstown, and Karen L. (Dice) Roberts of Boyertown.
Cushman was a 1996 graduate of Boyertown Area High School.
He worked as a forklift driver at Dunlap Tires in Pottstown and also part-time at the Citgo Smart Mart in Oley Township.
He was a Marine Corps veteran and a member of the Pottstown American Legion and the Pikeville Sportsmen's Association.
Cushman was a member of St. John's United Church of Christ in Gibraltar.
Surviving in addition to his wife of six months and his parents are three sisters, Jennifer Pinkasavage of Mount Penn, Sabrina Wiest of Birdsboro, and Sheila Cushman of Kent County, Del; a brother, Robert D. Thomas of Boyertown; three half-sisters, Sandy, Wendy and Maryann Cushman, all of Pottstown; a half-brother, Eddie Cushman of Pottstown.
Also maternal grandparents, Joseph Andzejewicz of Virginia, Beatrice (Woodley) Andzejewicz of Birdsboro, and Theresa Cushman of Linfield.
Contributions may be sent to Chron's and Colitis Foundation of America, 386 Park Avenue South, 17th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10016.
Burial was in the Limerick Garden of Memories.
The arrangements were handled by the Linwood W. Ott Funeral Home Inc., Boyertown.
VIOLET D. SCHWENK
Services and burial were private for Violet D. (Mutter) Schwenk, 81, of Bally, who died November 16 in the home of her daughter in Wilmington, Del.
She was the wife of Ernest M. Schwenk.
Born in Boyertown, she was employed by the Great American Knitting Mills for several years.
In addition to her husband of 63 years, she is survived by a son, Larry E. Schwenk, Elizabethtown, Ky.; two daughters, Sandra K. Endy, Earlville and Diane M. Barone, Wilmington, Del.
Also, two brothers, Warren Mutter of Bally and Harry Mutter of Media, Delaware.
There are also 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by a brother.
Contributions may be made to Delaware Hospice, 3515 Silverside Road, Wilmington, De 19810.
The arrangements were handled by the Arcaro Funeral Home, Wilmington.
ELIZABETH ANNE HAGGERTY
Services will be held Saturday for Elizabeth Anne Haggerty, 37 of Fancy Hill Road, Boyertown, who died November 22 in her residence.
Haggerty was the fiance of Michael R. Velazquez, with whom she resided.
She was born in Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha, Nebraska.
She was the daughter of the late John “Roger’ Haggerty and Dianne G. (Gross) Haggerty of Elmhurst Street, Philadelphia.
A graduate of N.E. High School, Philadelphia with the class of 1984, she was also a graduate of Allentown Business School in 2002.
She was employed at Boscov’s East for eight years as an Inventory Control Manager, last working in August of 2002.
Haggerty was a member of the Salvation Army, Boyertown.
In addition to her mother and fiance, she is also survived by a son, Chad Michael Velazquez at home.
Also a sister and two brothers. Contributions may be made in her memory to Chad Velazquez Education Fund, c/o Michael Velazquez, Patriot Bank, 101 East Philadelphia Avenue, Boyertown, PA 19512.
A viewing will be Friday, November 28 at the Salvation Army, 409 South Reading Avenue, Boyertown and Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m. at New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2941 Lutheran Road, Gilbertsville.
Services will be at 11 a.m.
The Morrell Funeral Home, 124 W. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown, is handling the arrangements.
