Allen Swartzentruber

Allen Swartzentruber, 89, Longswamp Township, died Thursday, October 15, 2009 in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, near Allentown, where he was admitted from The Lutheran Home at Topton. He was the husband of Lona E. A. (Sanders) Swartzentruber, also a resident at The Lutheran Home at Topton. They were married April 1, 1944.

Born in Elverson, Chester County, he was a son of the late Amos and Anna (Erb) Swartzentruber. He was a member of Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, Mertztown, where he was a former church council member and served on the building committee. He was a 1938 graduate of Kutztown High School. Mr. Swartzentruber was a self-employed tomato farmer in Longswamp Township for Campbell’s Soup Company from 1942 until 1964. He then worked as a truck driver for the former D. F. Bast Company, Allentown from 1964 until his retirement in 1982. Allen was a charter member of the Longswamp Lions Club, Mertztown, where he was a Melvin Jones recipient. He was also a member of Pioneer Grange 1777, Topton, and previously served as chairman of the building committee. Mr. Swartzentruber was a member of the Joint Cemetery Board of Longswamp Union Cemetery, Mertztown. He also was a past member of the board of directors of the Berks County Association for the Blind, Reading, and former member of the board of directors of Pennsylvania Lions Beacon Lodge, Mount Union, Huntingdon County, a special needs camp for children and adults.

He is survived by Wife; Daughter, Linda J. (Swartzentruber) wife of Theodore G. Sterner, Allentown; Son, Glenn A. husband of Dolores A. (Hein) Swartzentruber, Longswamp Township. In addition, there are 3 Grandchildren, Beth A. Swartzentruber, fiancé of Rev. Jeremiah A. Sassaman, Sarah E. Sterner and Kyle D. Swartzentruber. There are also 2 Sisters, Jeanetta (Swartzentruber) widow of Robert Rhodes, Scotia, NY and Ruth (Swartzentruber) wife of Leo Porter, Vista, Calif. He was predeceased by Sisters, Pauline (Swartzentruber) Savidge and A. Marie (Swartzentruber) Hellwig and a Brother, Pfc David L. Swartzentruber, US Marine Corps, who died June 18, 1945 in battle during WWII in Okinawa, Japan.

Memorial Services are Wednesday, October 21, 2009, at 2:00 PM in Multi-purpose Room of the Timothy M. Briedegam Center on the Campus of The Lutheran Home at Topton, 1 South Home Avenue, Topton. Inurnment is private at the convenience of the family. Friends may call Wednesday, from 1:00 to 2:00 PM in the Multi-purpose room.

The family requests contributions be made to Berks County Association for the Blind, 2020 Hampden Blvd, Reading, 19604, or Longswamp Lions Club, c/o Ludwick Funeral Homes, Inc., P.O. Box 25, Topton, 19562-0025. Arrangements are by the Ludwick Funeral Home, Topton, PA.