Born in Reading, the only son of Richard and Lorraine McNeil, Ebony McNeil grew up enjoying his boyhood, doing what boys typically love to do; playing outside most of the time, riding bikes, and spending time at places like the Olivet’s Boys Club, a place that was central to kids in the city of Read
Berks County natives Lori (Hinnershitz) Lilley and her husband, Christopher were both born and raised in the Antietam Valley, Lori in Mt. Penn, and Christopher in Stony Creek. Crystal Lake, once a central part of the historical Carsonia Park era, holds a great deal of sentimental value to both. “I w
From behind the microphone and through the airwaves, Toni Reece has rapidly become a popular radio host and story teller featuring the people of Berks County through her new show Real Life with Toni Reece, a different kind of talk radio on WEEU. To say that Toni is simply a people person is an under
Those who have the pleasure of meeting Michael Toledo will quickly pick up on his reference to “family” in his messages to the community he has been serving for the past 16 years as President and CEO of Centro Hispano in Reading. The concept of family is deeply rooted in his early beginnings as a ch
From his earliest days playing football for Penn Alsace as a young boy, to the NFL, to serving as a coach for many aspiring young players, Bernie Nowartarski remains dedicated to the craft, and to the determination which has helped to sustain him through life’s challenges. Born in St. Joseph’s Hospi
Reading native, Wayne Shifflett grew up in East Reading, attended St. Mary’s Catholic School and Central Catholic High School, graduating in 1969. He attended The Industrial Management Institute at RACC for architectural drafting while working at Pantry Pride grocery store. Following graduation, he
Esteban Ruiz is a testament to the value of music in our schools in Berks County. Born to Maria Velazquez and Jose Ruiz, his family lived in Exeter Township, where Esteban attended the Exeter district schools. “I started playing violin in third grade through the school music program at Owatin Creek
Elise Leid grew up the only child of Jeffery and Stacey Leid, living a carefree life in the countryside of Morgantown, Pa. “We had woods in our back yard, and we had chickens, geese, honey bees, five outside cats, and two dogs. We currently have a farmer that grows hay on my parents property which i
Retired U.S. Army Master Sgt. John Burford has traveled around the world since leaving Reading in 1976, straight out of the gate following his graduation. He eventually married and settled in Temple, Texas where he continues to live a productive and active life with his wife and family. His early li
It’s the season of celebrating the milestone of high school graduation for students around Berks County. The occasion represents the culmination of the work students put forth each step of the way from kindergarten through 12th grade, and how they have made the most of their education by adding in a
Growing up with a twin sister, and the youngest of seven children in the Marburger family, Dennis has fond memories of his home and his neighborhood at Pear and Buttonwood Streets in Reading. “We were never altogether in the house at once,” he recalls. “In fact, the first time the nine of us were to
Robert Leonard II arrived in Reading with decades of fire service experience, but he said it was the sense of community that immediately stood out to him.Originally from Washington, D.C., Leonard moved to Prince George’s County, Maryland, as a teenager and joined the fire service at age 16 after see
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
While living a busy life in her early 40’s, Felicia Bagdon became sick with pneumonia. She recovered, however, something did not seem right. “It turns out that I was undiagnosed several times. Doctors were saying it was asthma, and there were lots of tests. I went to a pulmonary doctor and an echoca
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
At birth, Pastor Rashion Santiago received the nickname “Woody” from her aunt who traditionally blessed all of the family children with a nickname. The name stuck with her throughout her life and through her career as a Lutheran minister where many have come to know her as Pastor Woody. Her story b
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
For Rocky Conrad, assistant superintendent of the historic Charles Evans Cemetery located in the heart of Reading, his job holds a great deal of sentiment going back to childhood memories. “My father was the grounds foreman and did basically what I do now. We lived on the 5th street side of the ceme
Growing up as the youngest of five children in the Glenside community of Reading, John holds fond memories of his childhood. “Growing up in the Glenside area, most of us were relatives. We had the two rivers, woods, and railroad tracks, which meant a lot of places to play. There were big family conn
