Born in Kempton, and growing up on the Lehigh County side, Wayne Holben had his sights set on a career as early elementary school. He recalls, “As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a police officer, and I wanted to help people.”Upon graduating from Northwestern Lehigh High School, he wasted no
As a child living in Pensacola, Florida, Jonathan Mashburn had a passion for electronics. “I loved electronics. I would go to the used book depository and buy them cheap and tinker with them, often reselling them. For years I wanted to do this on the side.” The spirit of entrepreneurship was alive i
Growing up in a family where her father was transferred frequently, Diane Rurode learned early how to adapt to different learning environments and schools in New York, and New Hampshire, finally graduating from Watertown High School in Watertown, Connecticut in 1971. “I applied to all colleges in Ne
Delbert Gene Bitting was born January 14,1936, the youngest of the four sons of Claude and Florence Bitting. His first home was a farmhouse on Butter Lane in Exeter Township, which they shared with his grandparents. “They lived on one side, and we lived on the other,” he recollected. “The home still
Born in St. Joseph’s Hospital in Reading on August 31, 1952, John King grew up frequently moving while his parents worked to accommodate their growing family. “My earliest recollection was living on Gilson Alley behind South 7th Street. The place was a two-story garage, and the bottom floor was a ch
After living and working in education in New York City, Vienna, Austria, and New Jersey, Samantha Bremekamp arrived on the scene in Berks County, bringing along her brand of energy and enthusiasm for learning. “We moved here in 2023 after living in New Jersey. I wanted to get to know people in the a
A Berks County resident since 1980, Judy Elllsworth has lived in Wyomissing Hills, later moving to Green Valley Estates in Sinking Spring for the last eight years. Prior to living in the area, Judy spent her career working in several capacities. “I’ve done many things; I worked as a Psychiatric Soci
Born and raised in Romania, Adrian Jadic found himself caught up in the violent civil unrest in 1989 living in a country wrought with turmoil. The Romanian Revolution was a time period when citizens rose up to overthrow and topple the dictatorship and end a 42-year span of communist rule. The confli
Dr. Philip Baney has been practicing family medicine for a total of 26 years, first establishing a practice in Laureldale, and then for the past 13 years in Hamburg. My reasons for selecting to highlight Dr. Baney for a Berks Weekly News story are rooted in my personal experience as an observer and
Singer, dancer, and actor, Danny Gardner, is enjoying an exciting life on the road, traveling the country and living his dream on a journey which began right here in Reading, Pa. “I was born in the Reading Hospital and grew up at 126 North 11th Street across from City Park. I would run across the st
Justin Bortz was born in Reading, the youngest of ten children. His father, Wayne, son of Earl Bortz, well known for founding Bortz Chocolates, the manufacturer of novelty chocolates which created many of the beloved confections local children grew up with. The brothers established several manufactu
As the growing season concludes, most of us are contemplating a trip to the market or grocery store to gather our fixins for the upcoming feast. Our relationship with the fresh produce is little more than selecting, paying for and preparing the food which graces our table. For the serious gardener,
Danielle Hathaway was born in Philadelphia along with her twin sister Dana. At age six, her mother passed away, the twins were raised by their grandparents in Havertown, Pa. “Even as a child, I was always drawing, coloring and painting, and I always loved music.” as Danielle recalls some of her earl
On November 20, 1943, a US force of approximately 35,000 troops from the 2nd Marine Division and the Army’s 27th Infantry Division began the amphibious assaults on Tarawa Atoll. The American invasion was part of Operation Galvanic to capture the Japanese-held Gilbert Islands. It was the first US off
Crystal Kowalski was born in Philadelphia where her father’s family of violin makers from Italy immigrated to and settled decades earlier. She grew up in the Paoli area and attended college at Drexel University where she majored in Economics. While at Drexel, she met her husband Vince and they were
As a native of southeastern Pennsylvania, a young Michael Fitzgerald took a student teaching position in the Wilson School District and stayed. He enjoyed a career as a public educator in the Technical and Engineering Department at Wilson Senior High School, retiring in 2022. Michael’s story was typ
Our life experiences are valuable assets which allow us to provide support and establish connections with other people. For local therapist, Cynthia Thomasset, establishing herself in a private practice later in life has allowed her to offer a unique perspective to the clients she serves. “As a youn
Not many children can claim a vocal performance debut in front of an audience at the age of four, however, Tamara (Tammy) Black and her three-year-old brother, Rich, sang at their first wedding together at those tender ages. “My mother, Francine Black, is a career musician, and I grew up singing eve
Plans for a beautiful October wedding for Lauren Ludwig and Kyle Conrad, were scheduled to take place on October 29th, 2011. Not only would the day mark the beginning of their life together, but would serve as the highlight of their story and their lifelong friendship. “Kyle and I grew up together a
Garrett Hyneman is a 2025 Governor Mifflin graduate who is heading to Lehigh University this fall. “I will major in mechanical engineering, environment and sustainability, with an emphasis on green energy. I will be running division one cross-country as well. I received a half tuition trustees schol
More than just the writer of this story, I’ve had the opportunity to watch this young man throughout his life and witness his enthusiasm, positive attitude, and work ethic. Today, Ramón Márquez is the ninth-grade building principal for the Wilson School District, raising three children with his wife
For more than a decade, Steven Newsham has been a familiar face to riders of the Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority (BARTA). As both a part-time bus operator and the president of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1345 (ATU), which represents his fellow operators, Newsham has built his se
When Wyomissing High School sweethearts Daniel Macrina and his wife Vanessa were married, their dreams of having a family and building a life together were much like any other couple starting out. Their first child, Aurora, entered their lives, a healthy and spunky little girl who, a few years later
For more than two decades, Josh Spudeno, owner of Green Spider Tree Service, has made a living doing work most people wouldn’t dream of attempting: climbing high into dangerous trees, working near live power lines, and dismantling massive limbs piece by piece. The job has left its mark — in the past
