Obituaries by LocationWILLIE N. ROLAND
Services were held for Willie N. Roland, 90, formerly of North Second Street, Reading, who died June 11 in Beverly Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Exeter Township, where she had resided since March.
Born in Holly Springs, Miss., she was employed as a silk finisher/presser by Supreme Cleaners and Ray the Tailor, both of Reading.
She was also employed at St. John’s United Church of Christ Daycare Center, Reading, and as a foster grandparent for the Reading School District at the Olivet Boys & Girls Club.
She was a member of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Reading, where she was an usher for more than 35 years and the leader of the Members Class.
Roland received a congressional citation in 1994 for being an active church member for over 50 years.
She completed several courses with the Standard Leadership Curriculum of the National Baptist Convention in 1984-85.
Roland was the former chaplain of Mary Alice Temple 108 of the Independent Benevolent Protective Order of Elks of the World.
Surviving are a stepson, Niles G. Beckham, Reading; and three stepdaughters: Sharon (Beckham) Bryant, Reading; Judy (Beckham) Floyd, Dallas; and Carolyn (Beckham) Collash, Shillington.
Other survivors include nine step-grandchildren and 10 step-great-grandchildren.
Burial was in Berks County Memorial Gardens, Maidencreek Township.
The T. J. Baker Funeral Home Inc., handled the arrangements.
LILLIAN DOLORES EMERY
Funeral services were held for Lillian Dolores Emery, 72, of the Berkshire Center in Exeter, formerly of Birdsboro, who died June 11 in Reading Hospital and Medical Center.
She was born in Birdsboro.
For 20 years, she worked as a secretary for the Borough of Birdsboro, retiring in 1992.
A 1948 graduate of the former Birdsboro High School, she also graduated from the McCann School of Business in Reading in 1950.
She was a member of Calvary Evangelical Congregational Church in Birdsboro.
Surviving is a brother, Robert L. Emery of Phoenix, Ariz.; and two sisters, Margaret Yoder of Reading and Janet L. English of Douglassville.
She was predeceased by a brother.
Contributions may be made to Calvary Evangelical Congregational Church, 129 N. Mill St., Birdsboro, PA 19508.
Burial was in St. Paul’s Methodist Cemetery in Geigertown.
The Dengler Funeral Home, Birdsboro, handled the arrangements.
ALLEN O. ROLAND
Services were held for Allen O. Roland, 86, who died in his residence on Lorane Road, Exeter Township on June 11.
He was the husband of Mary C. (Kohut) Roland, a resident of ManorCare Health Services Inc., Muhlenberg Township.
Born in Reading, Roland had been employed for 12-1/2 years as a journeyman machinist by Berks Engineering Co., and was last employed for 28-1/2 years by Metropolitan Edison Co. until his retirement.
He was a member of Grace Lutheran Church, Reading.
Surviving is a sister.
Burial was in Forest Hills Memorial Park, Reiffton.
The Auman Funeral Homes, Reiffton, handled the arrangements.
MARY R. MILLER
Services will be held Thursday for Mary R. Miller, 96, of Outlook Pointe, Exeter Township, formerly of Chestnut Street, West Reading, who died June 15 in Mifflin Center, Cumru Township.
Her husband, Russell C. Miller, died in 1996.
Born in Lititz, Lancaster County, she had been employed for 10 years as a machine trimmer for Gotham Mills, Reading. She previously worked as a looper for Berkshire Knitting Mills, Wyomissing.
She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church, West Reading.
Miller is survived by two stepdaughters, Florence (Miller) Wells, Morgantown, and Betty (Miller) Woyton, Mohnton.
There are also four step-grandchildren and four step-great-grandchildren.
Services will be Thursday at 1 p.m. in Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home Inc., West Reading.
Burial will be in Forest Hills Memorial Park, Reiffton.
VERNA M. SUPPLEE
Services were held for Verna M. Supplee, 76, of Willow Glen, Caernarvon Township, who died June 13 in her residence.
She was the wife of Joseph L. Supplee.
Born in Caernarvon Township, she was employed for 15 years as an examiner by Talbot Garment Co., Morgantown.
Burial was in the United Methodist Cemetery , Churchtown, Lancaster County.
The arrangements were handled by the Eckenroth Home for Funerals, Terre Hill, Lancaster County.
AURILIE J. FISTER
Private services were held for Aurilie J. Fister, 89, formerly of Candy Road, Cumru Township, and Country Meadows, Wyomissing, who died in the Zerbe Sisters Nursing Home, Caernarvon Township, Lancaster County, where she had been a residence since 2002.
She was the wife of Norman B. Fister.
Born in Reading, she was a member of Immanuel United Church of Christ, Shillington.
She graduated from Shillington High School in 1931.
Fister was a teacher at Shillington Elementary School and later in the Reading School District for 20 years before retiring in 1972.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two daughters, Janilie S. Fister, Cumru Township, and Francine F. (Fister) Klein, Denver, Lancaster County, and a son, Joseph N., Cumru Township.
There are also five grandchildren.
The Klee Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Shillington, was in charge of the arrangements.
IBRA S. FANCHER JR.
Burial was private for Ibra S. Fancher Jr., 79, of Green Hills Road, Robeson Township, who died June 11 in Reading Hospital.
He was the husband of Annabelle Celia (Ludwig) Fancher.
Fancher was the owner/operator for more than 25 years of Berks Pattern Works, Reading, retiring in 1995.
Born in DeLeon Springs, Fla., he was an Air Force veteran of the Korean War.
He was a 1949 graduate of Mount Penn High School.
He had served as president of the Robeson Township Bicentennial Organization.
A member of the Robeson Lutheran Church, Plowville, he was also master of Union Lodge 479, F&AM, Birdsboro, in 1979.
He was a leader of Boy Scout Troop 543, Plowville, in the late 1960s and was a past president of the Robeson Elementary Parent-Teacher Association.
He was past commander of American Legion Post 626, Birdsboro.
In addition to his wife, he is also survived by a daughter, Patti-Jo (Fancher) Mowrey, DuBois, Clearfield County; and three sons: Ibra S. III, Waynesburg, Greene County; Todd A., Jacksonville, Fla.; and Terrence L., New Freedom, York County.
Other survivors include two sisters, Darlie (Fancher) Ulrich, Gibraltar, and Lenora (Fancher) Hill, Robeson Township.
There are also nine grandchildren.
The Dengler Funeral Home Inc, Birdsboro, handled the arrangements.
JAMES A. NEIHEISER
Services will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. for James A. Neiheiser, 74, of West Main Street, Birdsboro, who died June 14.
He had been a resident of Spruce Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Reading, where he had been a patient for more than two months.
His wife, Marjorie Alice (Myers) Neiheiser, died in 1967.
Born in Hamburg, he had been employed for 23 years by Stanley G. Flagg and Co., Stowe, Montgomery County, retiring in October 1990.
He is survived by a son, Jeffrey, Reading.
Also surviving are three brothers: Kenneth, Wernersville; Howard, Richland, Cambria County; and Richard L., Birdsboro.
There are also two sisters, Betty (Neiheiser) Weaver, Laureldale, and Dolores (Neiheiser) McMullen, Wernersville.
He was predeceased by a son, in 1987.
Burial will be in Forest Hills Memorial Park, Reiffton.
The arrangements were handled by the Dengler Funeral Home Inc., Birdsboro.
GEORGE E. BOOKER
Services will be held for George E. Booker, 68, of Elderberry Drive, Exeter Township, who died June 14 in St. Joseph Medical Center.
He was the husband of Dolores (Cooper) Atwater-Booker.
Born in Birdsboro, he had been employed for more than 15 years as a dispatcher by Chemical Leaman Tank Lines, until his retirement.
He previously served for more than 20 years in the Air Force as a Command and Control Specialist, retiring in 1974. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War, and received both the Oak Leaf Cluster and Military Airlift Command Outstanding Airman of the Year award in 1969.
Booker was a member of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Reading.
He was a 1952 graduate of Exeter High School.
Booker was past exulted ruler and past state president of Berks Lodge 47, Improved Benevolent Protective Order of Elks of the World.
He is also survived by three sons, Gordon E. Fultz and George L. Fultz, both of Harrisburg; and George E. Jr., Lenoir, N.C.
Also five stepsons: Stewart E. Atwater, Oviedo, Fla.; Alex A. Atwater, Houston; James L. Atwater, Dumfires, Va.; Mark A. Atwater, Cary, N.C.; and Jason D. Atwater, San Francisco. Five stepdaughters: Carol L. (Copper) Edge, Reading; Darlene E. Atwater, Pittsburgh; Patricia E. (Atwater) Edwards, Plainfield, N.J.; Juanita M. (Atwater) Little, Clinton, Md.; and Valerie A. (Atwater) Brown, Anthem, Ariz.
Also a brother, 22 grandchildren and step-grandchildren and three great-granddaughters.
Services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. in Bethel AME Church.
Burial will be in Berks County Memorial Gardens, Maidencreek Township.
The Auman Funeral Home, Reiffton, was in charge of the arrangements.
DONALD H. JACOBS
Private services were held for Donald H. Jacobs, 77, who died June 13 in his residence on Main Street, Elverson.
He was the husband of Marian L. (Beiler) Miller.
Born in Geigertown, Jacobs was a self-employed carpenter and was last employed in the maintenance department at Twin Valley High School, retiring in 1988.
He was a member of Harmony United Methodist Church, Morgantown.
Jacobs was a life member of the Friendship Fire Company, Morgantown, and American Legion Post 28, Millsboro, Del.
He was an Army veteran of World War II.
Also surviving are five sons: Donald C., Birdsboro; Roger C. and Scott M., both of Morgantown; Melvin H., Narvon, Lancaster County; and Barry L., Robesonia.
Other survivors include three daughters: Linda J. (Jacobs) Bergmeister, Coatesville; Debra G. (Jacobs) Stauffer, Morgantown; and Karen L. (Jacobs) Scalese, Sinking Spring.
Also surviving is a stepson, Kent S. Miller, Jacksonville, Fla.
Also a brother; nine grandchildren; three step-granddaughters and two great-grandchildren.
He was predeceased by a stepdaughter.
The Eckenroth Home for Funerals, Terre Hill, Lancaster County, was in charge of the arrangements.
