Marlene Berkstresser

Marlene Louise (nee Baer) Berkstresser, 76, of 403 K Community Drive, died Thursday, November 12th, at home, of natural causes.

Born Sept. 9, 1933 in Brownsville, PA, she was the daughter of the late Laura Catherine (nee Hafer) Baer and John Wilson Baer. She was a member of Incarnation Lutheran Church.

As a young woman, she attended Kutztown State Teachers College, where her favorite teachers were Ralph Dunkleburger and Dr. Kingsbury. She attended art classes at The Wyomissing Institute of the Arts, and works at Zeswitz', where she also took piano lessons. She was an avid ballroom dancer; she and her partner won several competitions. She met her husband, Robert W. Berkstresser, in 1954, at the Sinking Spring Roller Rink. They married in June of 1955. In September of 1956, the couple moved to Evanston, Illinois with their new born daughter, Diane. There, Marlene worked as a telephone operator, and attended meetings for the wives of Northwestern University graduate students, while her husband attended graduate school. She served as the editor of the telephone company newsletter, and she and her husband enjoyed participating in duplicate bridge tournaments, as well as entertaining at home. She also enjoyed writing poetry. Their son, David was born in 1958, in Evanston.

After Mr. Berkstresser's graduation, the couple moved to Waltham, MA, where they raised their two children: a son, David, now of West Lawn, and daughter: Diane, now of Wyomissing. Marlene was active at the First Covenant Congregational Church, in Waltham, serving at different times as president of the Couples Club and the Woman's Club. She taught Sunday School and summer Bible School classes, and sang in the choir. She served as a Brownie leader, for her daughter's troop, and enjoyed painting, voice lessons and studying piano with Rose Conti, of the Boston Conservatory of Music. She was an active member of the Republican Club, as well as the PTA, and served as homeroom mother for both of her children's classrooms. The couple were members of the Cabot Club and enjoyed attending the Boston Symphony Orchestra's Community Concerts. She earned her bronze medal in dance skating, with her husband as her partner. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, knitting, and Tole painting, as well as nature walks. She could accurately identify each element of the numerous flora and fauna found in the forest understory.

Most of all she enjoyed her family. She attended all of her children's music, dance, art, and skating, lessons and events; she traveled to every skating competition her daughter entered, and hosted her son's band's practice on a regular basis. She attended adult education classes at Brandeis University, where she worked, part time, as a switchboard operator; and completed Real Estate Certification classes at Mass Bay Community College. In 1977, she earned a Real Estate Principles and Practices certificate at Lee Institute, in Brookline, MA.

When she returned to her hometown, in 1978, to be near her sisters: Laura Jean Keller (deceased), Barbara Ann Hillman (deceased), Mary Sara Miller and Natalie Virginia Kochler(she was also predeceased by her brother, John Edwin Baer of Chesapeake, VA) she settled in Shillington. She joined Incarnation Lutheran Church. She took pleasure in attending a weekly senior citizens watercolor class, with Daryl Szajak, as well as painting at home.

When her son moved to Shillington with his daughter, Elizabeth, she set her art classes aside to assist in raising her granddaughter. She took her granddaughter to classes at the Wyomissing Institute, and encouraged Elizabeth's, considerable, creative, and academic growth. Always careful to be fair, she never forgot a birthday, holiday, or exemplary report card for either Elizabeth, or her grandson Addison. She participated in numerous fundraisers for her grandchildren's various sports and artistic activities, and listened enthusiastically to each about their activities and adventures.

One of Marlene's favorite activities was to use her subscription to the Reading Symphony Orchestra. She attended concerts regularly, with two of her very dear friends. Her family could count on receiving a full report of the evening's activities on the day following each performance; her daily morning phone call to each family member will be very much missed.
Marlene was a deeply loving and caring mother and grandmother and she will be very much missed by her immediate family: Addison, Elizabeth, David, and Diane.

Contributions may be made to Incarnation Lutheran Church, 1101 Lancaster Ave., Reading, PA 19607 or Reading Symphony Orchestra, 147 N. 5th Street, Reading, PA 19610