Obituaries by LocationREBECCA Spaatz NAGEL
Services were held for Rebecca Spaatz Nagel, 77, who died March 21 in Washington D.C. Nagel was born in San Antonio and attended the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and the Royal Academy of Music in London. She became a concert pianist and taught piano at National Cathedral School in Washington, where she had lived since 1958. She was a generous supporter of the Aerospace Education Foundation, and was also active in AFA events and frequently traveled to New York, to meetings of the AFA chapter there named for her father. She had been to New York, weeks before her death to present the chapter’s Tooey Trophy to Rep. Benjamin A. Gilman (R-N.Y.) at a chapter gathering at West Point. Nagel was one of three daughters of Gen. Carl A. “Tooey” Spatz, the US Air Force’s first Chief of Staff.
PAUL Y. WERNER
Services will be held Friday for Paul Y. Werner, 92, Borbeck Avenue, Philadelphia, who died June 25 at his residence. He was the husband of Annabelle (Hartline) Werner. Born in Boyertown, he was a 1926 graduate of Boyertown Area High School and attended Pierce college for 2 years studying business. Werner was employed at the former Penn Walt Corp., now Atafina Chem., Inc., Philadelphia as a cost accountant for 43 years, retiring in 1973. He was a member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Philadelphia. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Daniel P. Werner, Harrisonburg, Virginia and a daughter, Joan E. (Werner) Reeder, Bonne Terre, Missouri. There are also five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by four brothers and two sisters. Services will be Friday at 2 p.m. at the Linwood W. Ott Funeral Home, 111 North Reading Avenue, Boyertown. The Reverend Roger Newton will officiate. Friends will be received one hour prior to service at the funeral home. Burial will be in Hill Church Cemetery .
BERTHA L. HELMS
Services were held for Bertha Louise Helms, 88, of Fayette Ave., Kenhorst, who died June 18 in Mifflin Center, Cumru Township, where she had resided since December. Her husband, Linwood R. Helms, died in 1982. Born in Monocacy, Helms was employed for 17 years as a topper by the Berkshire Knitting Mills, Wyomissing, retiring in the 1940s. She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church, Shillington. Surviving are a brother, Gordon Mohr, Robeson Township; and two sisters, Edna (Mohr) Tetterton, Reading, and Pearl (Mohr) Weller, Kenhorst. The Dengler Funeral Home Inc., Birdsboro, handled the arrangements.
MARION H. ORNER
Services were held for Marion H. (Huth) Orner, 65, of Old Swede Road, Douglassville, wife of Richard C. Orner, who died June 20 at her residence. Born in Philadelphia, she was a daughter of Emily Huth of Doylestown and the late Egon Max Huth. She was employed as a teller by the Douglassville branch of National Penn Bank for 23 years until her retirement in April. Orner was a graduate of Abington High School and attended Exeter Bible Church, Birdsboro. In addition to her mother and her husband of 43 years, she is survived by three daughters, Colleen J. Crooks, Melody K. Turner and Connie Walters, all of Robesonia. Also a sister and four grandchildren. Contributions may be made to Lehigh Valley Hospital Cancer Service, Attention: Natalie, Suite 408, Morgan Cancer Center, Allentown, PA 18103. The arrangements were handled by the Linwood W. Ott Funeral Home Inc., Boyertown.
MARTHA M. LINDERMAN
Services were held for Martha M. (Weiler) Linderman, 80, of Old River Road, Birdsboro, who died June 19 in St. Joseph Medical Center, Reading. She was the widow of Clarence Maurice Linderman. Born in Birdsboro, she worked as a candy production worker for Palmer Candy, Reading, until her retirement. She was a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ, Gibraltar, Berks County. Surviving are a son, Ted E. Linderman of West Reading; a brother, Earl Weiler of Birdsboro; a half sister, Betty Kupp of Birdsboro; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. The Dengler Funeral Home Inc., Birdsboro, handled the arrangements.
EDWARD J. SOJA
Funeral services were held for Edward J. Soja, 76, of Glen Road, Exeter Township, who died June 18 in St. Joseph Medical Center, where he had been a patient. He was the husband of Ursula H. (Stiller) Soja. Born in Reading, he had retired from Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. and Occidental Chemical Co., Pottstown, after 40 years. He was a Marine Corps veteran of World War II. Soja was a life member of the East End Athletic Association and the Russel M. Butterweck Detachment of the Marine Corps League. He is also survived by a son, Edward K., Temple; and two daughters, Sandy (Graczyk) Mengel, Reading, and Ursula A. (Graczyk) Weaver, Wernersville. Other survivors include a brother, a sister and two grandsons. The Kopicki-Bradley Funeral Home Inc., Reading, handled the arrangements.
ELEANOR PAINTER
A Mass of Christian Burial was held for Eleanor Painter, 79, of S. Spruce St., Birdsboro, who died June 19 in St. Joseph Medical Center. Her husband, Jesse G. Painter, died in 1965. Born in Birdsboro, Painter was employed for 19 years as a clerk by the Conestoga Telephone & Telegraph Co., Birdsboro, retiring in 1989. She was a member of Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, Birdsboro, where she was a past treasurer and president of the women’s Society. Painter was a past secretary of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union, Local 1571, at Conestoga Telephone. She was a volunteer at the Birdsboro Senior Center. Surviving are five sons: Jesse D. and Jeffrey B., both of Birdsboro; John M., Mohrsville; Christopher J., Clemson, S.C.; and Thomas A., Tallahassee, Fla. Also three daughters: Sharon M. Painter, Dover, Del.; Valetta A. (Painter) Eshbach, Blandon; and Josephine P. (Painter) Myers, Exeter Township. Other survivors include two sisters, Kathleen (Smith) Reppert, Douglassville, and Mary P. (Smith) Metzker, Macungie; and four brothers: George L. Smith, Juncos, Puerto Rico; James E. Smith, Exeter Township; William P. Smith, Randallstown, Md.; and Joseph D. Smith, Birdsboro. There are also 22 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The Dengler Funeral Home Inc., Birdsboro, handled the arrangements.
WILLIAM W. DELP
A memorial service was held for William W. Delp, a city firefighter and scruba diver, who died June 17 at in St. Joseph Medical center, where he had been a patient since May 10. Delp, 55, of Thomas Place, Spring Township, was the husband of Sondra E. (Dix) Barth-Delp. His first wife, Patricia A. (Reinsmith) Delp, died in 1991. He was employed for 27 years as a firefighter by the City of Reading, last working in 1995. Delp was also a member of the Reading Emergency Scuba Team and from 1980 to 1990 was a fire department emergency medical technician. Born in Birdsboro, Delp and his father owned and operated the Exxon Service Station at Route 422, Baumstown, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was also employed as a clerk in the hardware department at Sears Roebuck & Co., Wyomissing, and as air compressor technician by the Mid-Atlantic Fire & Air Co., Reading. Delp was a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a member of St. John’s (Gernant’s) United Church of Christ, Ontelaunee Township, where he was a deacon and treasurer. Delp had served as church secretary since January. Delp is also survived by a son, Corey M. Delp, and two daughters, Stacy L. (Delp) Petersen and Samantha B. Delp, all of Reading. Other survivors include a stepson, Aaron W. Barth Jr., Reading; and a stepdaughter, Melissa E. (Barth) Woodworth, Spring Township. His stepmother, Alma Delp, Bay City, Del.; two grandsons, and a step-grandson also survive. The Milkins Funeral Home Inc., Temple, handled the arrangements.
DR. G. F. BEISSEL
Services were held for G. F. Beissel, 65, of Raymond, Miss., formerly of Birdsboro, who died June 11 in the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson. He was the husband of Chomella (Prine) Beissel. Born in Birdsboro, he had served on the staff of the Mississippi Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Raymond since 1978. Earlier he had worked for the Mental Health Center in Greenwood, Miss., and as director of the Adolescent Evaluation Center at the Oakley Training School in Raymond. He was a Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War. Beissel attended Northland College, Ashland, Wis., and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Mississippi Southern University, Hattiesburg. He was a 1972 graduate of the University of Mississippi, Oxford, with a doctorate in Psychology after interning at the George State Hospital in Milledgeville. Beissel was a member and deacon of the Raymond Baptist Church, where he coordinated brotherhood mission trips throughout the United States. He was coordinator of the 5K run at the Raymond Country Fair for many years. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Army Capt. Perry P., Fort Polk, La., and Dr. Canon J., Brandon, Miss. Other survivors include two brothers, James H., Spring Township, and Leroy K., Rockland Township; and four sisters: Ruth (Beissel) Calhoun, Exeter Township; Myrtle (Beissel) Brown, Union Township; Evelyn (Beissel) Shade, Gaines, Tioga County, and Dorothy J. (Beissel) Reazor, Reading. The Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home, Raymond, was in charge of the arrangements.
ETHEL R. BAUER
Graveside services were held for Ethel R. (Erb) Bauer, 81, formerly of Douglassville, who died June 20 in ManorCare Health Services Inc., West Reading, where she had resided since May. Her husband, Norman V. Bauer, died in 1963. Born in Sassamansville, Montgomery County, she was employed for 10 years as a ribbon maker by the Bally Ribbon Mills until her retirement. She was a member of Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, Birdsboro. Surviving are two daughters, Jeanette A. (Bauer) Millard, Montrose, Susquehanna County, and Joan (Bauer) Eisenhart, Ithaca, N.Y. Other survivors include five grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. The Dengler Funeral Home Inc., Birdsboro, handled the arrangements.
ANNA V. MASLEH
A Funeral Mass was celebrated for Anna V. (Birard) Masleh of West Howard St., Stowe, widow of Joseph F. Masleh, who died June 22 in Manatawny Manor, Pottstown. Born in Douglassville, she worked at the former Zipf’s Candy Store in Pottstown. She was a member of St. Gabriel’s Roman Catholic Church, Stowe. Surviving are a sister and a brother. Contributions may be made to the church. The arrangements were handled by the Catagnus Funeral Home, Pottstown.
FRANK R. BAUMAN
Private services were held for Frank R. “Jim” Bauman Jr., 80, of Park St., Lower Alsace Township, who died June 22 in Beverly Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Exeter Township. He had resided there since June 18, and was the husband of Pauline M. (Bitters) Bauman. Born in Monroe, Wis., he was the founder in 1975 and the owner-operator and partner of Remax of Reading, Wyomissing, retiring in 1985. He was a Navy veteran of World War II. Bauman is also survived by two daughters, Susan L. (Bauman) Sockel, Farming Ridge, and Judith A. (Bauman) Wunsch, Exeter Township. Other survivors include a brother, Richard M., Jefferson Township; and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son, James M. Bauman, in 1950. The Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home Inc., West Reading, was in charge of the arrangements.
