Obituaries by LocationWillard H. Derr, 73
Services were held in the Ludwick Funeral Home, Kutztown, for Willard H. Derr, Lowhill Township, Lehigh County, who died June 4 in Kutztown –Manor, where he had resided since April 24.
Burial was in New Bethel (Zion) Cemetery , Kutztown.
He was the husband of Mary I. (Adams) Derr.
Born in Weisenberg Township, Lehigh County, he as a son of the late Paul H. and Sadie E. S. (Smith) Derr.
Until retiring in 2001, he was last employed for two years as a stock clerk by Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, Allentown. He was previously employed as a knitter/mechanic in the garment industry in Northampton County for 49 years.
He was a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ, Fogelsville, Lehigh County.
Also surviving is a daughter, LuAnn M. (Derr) Bortz, Kutztown, and a grandson.
Other survivors include two brothers, Harold J. Derr, Hamburg, and George L. Derr, Germansville, Lehigh County; and three sisters: Esther M. (Derr) Seidel, Lenhartsville; and Lottie A. (Derr) Berger and Goldie M. (Derr) Berger, both of Kutztown.
Marilyn A. Lehr, 74
A Mass of Christian Burial was held in St. Ann Church, Lehigh County, for Marilyn A. Lehr, Walker Road, Longswamp Township, who died June 4 in Lehigh Valley Hospital.
Burial was in Fairview Cemetery , Macungie.
She was the wife of Howard L. Lehr.
Born in Allentown, she was a daughter of the late Charles and Florence (Rothrock) Richards.
Until retiring, she was employed as a secretary in the building and grounds department of Cedar Crest College, Allentown, for many years. She was previously employed as a billing clerk by the Allentown Gas Works.
Lehr was a member of St. Ann Roman Catholic Church, Emmaus, Lehigh County.
Also surviving are two sons, David J. Lehr and Mark W. Lehr, both of Macungie; two daughters, Cynthia A. Lehr, Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, and Christine L. Lehr, Allentown; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by a son, Howard D. Lehr.
The David J. Boyko Funeral Home, Macungie, was in charge of arrangements.
Harold F. Nester, 89
Services were held in the Ludwick Funeral Home, Topton, for Harold F. Nester, Old Topton Road, Longswamp Township, who died June 5 in Lehigh Valley Hospital, where he had been a patient two days.
Burial was in Topton Union Cemetery .
He was predeceased by his wife, Blanche C. (Herbein) Nester, who died June 18, 1992.
Born in Topton, he was a son of the late Ulysses F. and Minerva S. (Stauffer) Nester.
Until retiring in 1975, he was employed as an assembler by the Caloric Corp., Topton, for 50 years.
He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Topton.
Surviving is a son, Guerin H. Nester, Mertztown, and a sister, Annabelle M. (Nester) Bieber, Skippack, Montgomery County.
Francis J. Ging, 93
Services were held in the Mae A. Stump Funeral Home, Fleetwood, for Francis J. Ging, formerly of Fleetwood, who died June 7 in ManorCare Health Services, Laureldale.
Burial was in Fleetwood Cemetery .
He was the husband of Margaret A. (Mohn) Ging, Fleetwood.
Born in Dayton, Ohio, he was a son of the late Lillian (Ging) Badhorn.
Until retiring in 1971, he was employed as a store keeper by Metropolitan Edison Co. for 35 years.
He was a former secretary and treasurer for the Fleetwood Fire Company and the Fleetwood ambulance crew.
Surviving is a son, Joseph F. Ging, Fleetwood; a daughter, Beverly J. (Ging) Earnhart, Dayton, Ohio; six grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
William Heckman Sr., 75
Services were held in the Mae A. Stump Funeral Home, Fleetwood, for William J. Heckman Sr., who died June 5 in his South View Road, Walnuttown residence.
Burial was in Becker’s (St. Peter’s) Cemetery , Richmond Township.
He was the husband of Gladys M. (Strohm) Heckman.
Born in Lyons, he was a son of the late Martin L. and Grace Heckman.
He served 21 ½ years in the Marine Corps and retired with the rank of master sergeant. He was a World War II, Korean and Vietnam War veteran.
Until retiring in 1989, he was employed by Allentown Portland Cement Co., Evansville, for 10 years, and was previously a self-employed truck driver.
Heckman was a past officer of the Blue Mountain Climbing Club.
Also surviving are three sons, Richard L. Heckman and William J. Heckman Jr., both of Fleetwood; and James J. Heckman, Rocky Mount, N.C.
There are also four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Ernest F. Derr, 72
Memorial services were held in Salem Bible Church, Macungie, for Ernest F. Derr, Greenville, S.C. and formerly of Fleetwood, who died June 7 in the Kindred Hospital, Tampa, Fla.
Burial was in Longswamp Union Cemetery , Mertztown.
He was the husband of Mary A. (Rothermel) Derr.
Born in Fogelsville, he was the son of the late Fred G. Sr. and Sarah G. (Weidner) Derr.
Until retiring in 1987, he was employed as a contract coordinator by Atlas Minerals and Chemicals Co., Mertztown, for 35 years.
He was a member of Salem Bible Church, Macungie, Lehigh County, and Grace Baptist Church, East Flat Rock, N.C.
Derr was past president of the Longswamp Lions Club, Longswamp Township.
Also surviving are a son, Jeffrey L. Derr, Tampa, Fla.; a daughter, Lisa M. (Derr) Andrews, Greenville, S.C.; and two grandchildren.
There are also a brother, Fred G. Derr Jr., Longneck, Del.; and two sisters: Christine Snyder, Reading, and Mary Lou Zimmerman, Kutztown.
The Heintzelman Funeral Home, Schnecksville, was in charge of arrangements.
Anne P. Seidel, 72
Services were held in the Keller Funeral Home, Fogelsville, for Anne P. Seidel, who died of natural causes Oct. 8 in her Trexlertown residence.
Burial was in Zion Church Cemetery , Maxatawny.
She was predeceased by her husband, Lee R. Seidel, who died in 1992.
Born in Oley, she was a daughter of the late Alfred and Beulah (Prutzman) Knabb.
She was a 1947 graduate of Kutztown High School.
Seidel was a member of Zion Union Church, Maxatawny.
Surviving are two daughters, Gail A. (Seidel) Rosner, Trexlertown, and Molly S. (Seidel) Butz, Fogelsville, and three sons: Bruce L. Seidel, Kutztown, Randy R. Seidel, Allentown, and Michael D. Seidel, Trexlertown.
There are also nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Other survivors include two brothers, John Knabb, Maxatawny, and Alfred Knabb, New Smithville; and three sisters: Rhea (Knabb) Siegfried, Maxatawny; June (Knabb) Bruno, Kutztown; and Eleanor (Knabb) Sechler, Strausstown.
Mildred E. Oswald, 86
Private services and burial were arranged by the Edward J. Hildenbrand Funeral Home, Kutztown, for Mildred E. Oswald, formerly of Kutztown, who died Oct. 9 in the Lutheran Home at Topton.
She was predeceased by her husband, Kermit C. Oswald, who died in 1955.
Born in Northampton, she was a daughter of the late Frank M. and Marie (Lambert) Bock.
Until retiring, she was employed as a librarian by Kutztown University for 17 years.
She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Kutztown.
Surviving are a daughter, Betsy M. (Oswald) DiLuna, Boxboro, Mass.; a son, James S. Oswald, North Wales, Montgomery County; five grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.
Other survivors include a brother, Frank L. Bock, Boca Raton, Fla.
Gary L. Blose, 51
Services were held in the 58th Street United Methodist Church, Altoona, for Gary L. Blose, who died of natural causes Oct. 7 in his Altoona, Blair County residence.
Burial was private.
He was the husband of Lynne A. (Ceccre) Blose.
Born in Mertztown, he was a son of the late Clayton G. and Florence M. (Keiser) Blose.
He was employed as a nurse’s aid by the Altoona Center of the State Department of Public Welfare for 20 years.
Blose was a graduate of Brandywine Heights High School.
He was a member of the 58th Street United Methodist Church, Altoona.
Also surviving is a son, Clayton A. Blose, at home.
Other suvivors include a brother, Terry Blose, Kutztown; and two sisters, Dianne (Blose) Shellenberg, Bethlehem, and Dawn (Blose) Franckowiak, Temple.
Sandi A. Kohler, 53
Former school board member
Services were held in St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Fleetwood, for Sandi A. Kohler, Oak Haven Road, Richmond Township, who died of natural causes Oct. 8 in Reading Hospital, where she had been a patient one week.
Burial was in Maxatawny (Zion) Union Cemetery , Maxatawny Township.
She was the wife of Irwin A. Kohler.
Born in West Reading, she was a daughter of the late John A. and Ruth D. (Mertz) Knittle.
She was a 1967 graduate of Fleetwood High School.
Until retiring in 1998, she was employed as a school supervisor by the Gordon School of Cosmetology in Allentown for 15 years.
Kohler was a former member of the Fleetwood School Board.
She was a member of St. Paul’s UCC, Fleetwood, where she was a former youth leader.
Kohler was a former Sunday school teacher at Zion Lutheran Church, Maxatawny.
Also surviving are a son, Mikal I. Kohler, Mount Penn; a daughter, Vicki L. (Kohler) Kerling, Muhlenberg Township; and four grandchildren.
The Mae A. Stump Funeral Home, Fleetwood, was in charge of arrangements.
