Obituaries by LocationIRMGARD E. GAERTNER
Services were held for Irmgard E. (Lindner) Gaertner, 76, widow of Hans K. Gaertner, of the Frederick Mennonite Community, Frederick, formerly of Center Square, who died July 25 at Mercy Suburban Hospital, East Norriton, following an illness. Born in Berlin, Germany, she was a homemaker most of her life. She was a former member of St. John Lutheran Church of Center Square, and a current member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church of Obelisk. She was a member of the craft group at the Frederick Mennonite Home. Surviving are three daughters, Monika, wife of Dr. Jay Bontempo, East Norriton, Sigrun, wife of Dr. Toby Mapes, Hendersonville, N.C., Edeltraut, wife of John Markiewice Jr., Glenshaw, Allegheny County; and four grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a brother who was killed in World War II. Memorial donations may be made to the American Lung Association, 525 Plymouth Road, Suite 3150, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462. The arrangements were handled by the R. L. Williams Jr. Funeral Home, Skippack.
JOHN H. HARING
A Memorial service will be held Saturday, Aug. 5 for Dr. John H. Haring, 51, husband of Susanne M. (Daly) Haring, of Kirkwood Miss., formerly of Gilbertsville, who died June 21. Born in Pottstown, he was the son of Willard and Helen (Dykan) Haring, of Gilbertsville. Haring was a professor of anatomy and neurobiology at St. Louis University Medical Center. He graduated from Boyertown High School in 1967, and received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Va. From 1971 to 1975, he served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as a first lieutenant. He returned to school and received a master’s degree in biology from West Chester University, West Chester. He received a doctorate from the Hershey Medical Center of Pennsylvania State University. He finished his post-doctorate internship at Duke University, Durham, N.C. He was a member of InveraAn Bag Pipe Band of St. Louis, and was an active member of Grace Episcopal Church, Kirkwood, Miss. While living in this area, he was a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church, Gilbertsville. In addition to his wife and parents, he is survived by two daughters, Megan A. and Amanda G. Haring, both of Kirkwood, Miss.; and one brother. The service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5 at St. Luke Lutheran Church Gilbertsville. Memorial donations may be made to St. Luke Lutheran Church, 35 Wilson Ave., Gilbertsville, PA 19525; or to V.M.I. Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 932, Lexington, VA 24450. The arrangements are by the Warker-Troutman Funeral Home, Pottstown. Burial was previously held in Kirkwood, Miss.
PETER J. WIERZBICKI
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated for Peter J. Wierzbicki, a junior high school teacher in the Boyertown School District, who died in his residence on July 24. He resided at Ranor Court, St. Lawrence, and was the husband of Ann M. (Hunter) Wierzbicki. He had been employed by the Boyertown School District as a junior high school reading and English teacher at Boyertown Junior High School West since the 1960-61 school term. Born in Reading, he also was employed for many years as manager of the College Manor Swimming Pool, Reading. He was a member of St. Catharine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, Exeter Township. Wierzbicki was an Army veteran of the Korean War. He was a 1958 graduate of Kutztown University with a bachelor’s degree in education. He received his master’s degree in education from KU in 1977.
·Wierzbicki is also survived by two sons, Peter P., Hollywood, Calif., and James J., Philadelphia. He is also survived by a brother. The arrangements were handled by the Kopicki-Bradley Funeral Home Inc., Reading.
NORMA DEESS
Services were held for Norma G. Deess, 89, of Luther Knolls, Gilbertsville and formerly of the Olney section of Philadelphia and Jenkintown, who died July 29 at Pennsburg Manor, Pennsburg. Born in Philadelphia, she graduated from Philadelphia Bible College with a degree in Christian Education. Deess was the secretary to the president and founder of the Tasty Baking Co., Philadelphia, from 1929 until she retired in 1975. She was also a former member of the Tasty Baking Co. board of trustees. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Olney, where she was the former head of the primary department and former director of Christian Education for more than 35 years. She was also a former member of the Board of Ministry of the Presbyterian Church. Surviving are a sister, Ruth, wife of Vincent Spade, Boyertown. She was preceded in death by a brother. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Luke Lutheran Church, 35 Wilson Road, Gilbertsville, PA 19525. The arrangements were handled by the Falk Funeral Home, Pennsburg.
NANCY H. BOETTNER
Services were held for Nancy H. (Smith) Boettner, 46, of South Hills Boulevard, Pottstown, who died July 29 at her home. Born in Allentown, she was the daughter of Ralph H. Sr. and Helen K. (Zubur) Smith of Virmay Drive, Gilbertsville. She was a 1972 graduate of Boyertown High School and was a self-employed home health care provider for seven years. Surviving with her parents are a son, Matthew N. Boettner, and a daughter, Jennifer H. Boettner, both at home; a sister, Mary Jane Smith, Gilbertsville; and two brothers, Ralph H. Smith Jr., Gilbertsville, and David F. Smith, Harleysville. Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Jennifer H. and Matthew M. Boettner c/o L. W. Ott Funeral Home, 111 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown, PA 19512. The arrangements were handled by the L. W. Ott Funeral Home Inc., Boyertown.
ERNEST S. LATSHAW
Services were held for Ernest S. Latshaw, 96, widower of Lillian (Godshall) Latshaw, of the Lutheran Community at Telford, formerly of Souderton, who died July 27. He died at the community where he had resided for four years. Born in Niantic, he was employed as a plasterer by the Norristown State Hospital for many years. He was a member of the Souderton Lions Club, where he held various offices. He was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Souderton, where he was a choir member for more than 50 years. He was a former member of a traveling men’s chorus in Reading and was a member of the Souderton Senior Citizens and performed for many years with the Syncopated Seniors of Souderton. He is survived by two brothers and a sister. He was predeceased by two brothers and two sisters. Memorial donations may be made to Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 69 W. Broad St., Souderton, PA 18964; or to the Lutheran Community at Telford, 235 N. Washington Ave., Telford, PA 18969; or to Grand View Hospice, 700 Lawn Ave., Sellersville, PA 18960. The arrangements were handled by the Williams-Bergey-Koffel Funeral Home Inc., Franconia.
EDWARD H. BLANKENBILLER
Services were held for Edward H. Blankenbiller, 88, of Blankenbiller Road, Alsace Township, who died July 28 in St. Joseph Medical Center, where he had been a patient. His wife, Dorothy L. (Schildt) Blankenbiller, died in June. Born in Alsace Township, he was employed for 46 years as a maintenance carpenter for Dana Corporation’s Parish Light Vehicle Structures Division, Reading, retiring in 1974. He is survived by a son, Lynell, Stony Creek Mills, and two daughters, Bonnie (Blankenbiller) Earl and Joanne (Blankenbiller) Shirey, both of Alsace Township. Other survivors include two brothers, two sisters, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The arrangements were handled by the Walter R. Christ Funeral Home Inc., Laureldale.
WILLARD K. SCHULTZ
Funeral services were held for Willard K. Schultz, 74, husband of Margaret R. (Wain) Schultz, of Surrey Court, Oley, who died July 28 in Hahnemann University Hospital, Philadelphia. Born in Palm, he was employed as a tool and die maker for the Textile Machine Works, Reading, for 25 years. He also worked for Uniform Tubes for 20 years prior to retiring in 1989. Schultz was a life-long member of Palm Schwenkfelder Church, where he served as superintendent of the Sunday school, and was a member of Men of Palm. He was also the charter president of the Bally Lions Club; a current member of the Oley Lions Club; a member of the Oley Chapter of the American Legion, and a volunteer driver for the Topton Lutheran Home. Schultz was a veteran of World War II. He and his wife celebrated 39 years of marriage. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Jennifer L. Schultz, Harrisburg, and Katherine M. Schultz, Philadelphia; one brother and five sisters. He was predeceased by a sister. The arrangements were handled by the Mann-Slonaker Funeral Home, East Greenville.
JOHN H. KATEIN SR.
A Funeral Mass was celebrated for John H. Katein Sr., 84, widower of Pearl Myrtle (Bernard) Katein, of Egypt Road, Mont Clare, who died July 28 at the Frederick Mennonite Community. Born in Philadelphia, he was employed as a stationary engineer by the Philadelphia Suburban Water Co., Phoenixville, until his retirement. Katein was a member of St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, Phoenixville; a member of the Marine Corps Auxiliary; and a member of AARP of Phoenixville and Audubon. He was a veteran of World War II, having served in the United States Marine Corps. Surviving are a son, John H. Katein Jr., Schwenksville and one sister; four grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife and parents, he was predeceased by a daughter, Nancy Zappone and one grandson, John H. Katein, III. The arrangements were handled by the Devlin-Rosmos-Kepp Funeral Home Inc., Phoenixville.
PHYLLIS M. REICHENBACH
Burial was private and a memorial service was held for Phyllis M. (Hillegass) Reichenbach, 70, widow of Norman L. Reichenbach, of the Frederick Mennonite Comm-unity, who died July 27 at the community, where she had been a resident for the past six years. Born in Red Hill, she resided in Spring City for most of her life before entering the Frederick Mennonite Community. A 1948 graduate of the former East Greenville High School, she attended Lock Haven State Teacher’s College, and graduated from West Chester State Teacher’s College now West Chester University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She received her masters degree from Pennsylvania State University. She was an elementary school teacher at the Second Street Elementary School, Phoenixville, for five years, and taught at the Spring City Elementary School from 1963 until she retired in 1987. She was a member of the First United Church of Christ, Spring City; a member of the SpringFord Chapter No. 518, Order of the Eastern Star, Royersford; a longtime Girl Scout leader in Spring City, where she received her 40-year service award pin. Reichenbach is survived by a son, Lloyd H. Reichenbach, Palmyra; three daughters, Lucinda M., wife of Karl Yorgey, Boyertown, Norma P., wife of James Nichols, East Greenville, and Lydia F., wife of Richard Maure, Boston; and six grandchildren. She was predeceased by one grandson, Peter M. Yorgey. Memorial donations may be made to the Phyllis M. Reichenbach Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Lloyd Reichenbach, National Penn Bank, P.O. Box 517, Boyertown, PA 19512. The arrangements were handled by the Shalkop-Grace Funeral Home Inc., Spring City.
