William Brudereck

William C. Brudereck, 101, passed away on Sunday, November 26, 2017, at Country Meadows of Wyomissing.
He was predeceased by his wife, Evelyn Virginia (Grier) Brudereck, in January 2002.
He was born in Reading on May 21, 1916, to Arthur Emil and Mabel (Hart) Brudereck.
"Bill," as he was known, graduated from Shillington High School in 1933 as valedictorian. He matriculated to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y., on a full scholarship, graduating with a bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering in 1937.
He was elected to membership in the National Honor Society of Tau Beta Pi.
In 1937, he began his career working full-time for the family business, Progressive Machine Works Inc., which his father founded in 1922 in Reading, Pa. His father, Arthur Emil, passed away in 1942, and Bill became president of the company, which in 1966 moved to Hamburg, Pa. Bill held the position of president until 1985 when his son, Arthur Edward Brudereck, became company president.
During World War II, the company operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week and never closed its doors from the attack on Pearl Harbor to V-J Day, producing a wide variety of mechanical parts for the war effort.
In 1950, Bill became involved with the newly evolving British sports car import movement. He purchased a 1950 MG TD, the first of his many sports cars. He immediately became involved with, and an officer of, the MG Car Club, the Eastern Pennsylvania Sports Car Club and the Sports Car Club of America.
Bill and several other sports car club members approached Reading City Council about sanctioning a race up to the Pagoda. The first race was held in 1951, and the race continues to this day as the annual Duryea Hillclimb. Bill competed successfully in these events for many years. He also was involved in initiating local road rallies, in which he also competed and collected many trophies.
He was also one of the founding members of the Water Hole Hunting Lodge in Clinton County, Pa. In addition to harvesting many white tail deer (some with a bow and arrow), his hunting expeditions took him as far away as the Arctic.
A lifelong fisherman, he kept a boat in Cape May, N.J., for several years and also enjoyed annual trips to Newboro Lake, Ontario, Canada, where he and friends and family would camp on an island owned by a local friend. He cherished his time on "The Island."
In the late 1950s, Bill became very involved with the Flying Dutchmen Ski Club of Reading, where he also served as an officer. He began a series of many ski trips around the United States and Europe. He also became a partner in a ski chalet near Killington, Vt., for 30 years. He enjoyed being on the slopes with family and friends at Killington.
He was also an avid tennis player for many years and participated in the sport into his early 90s.
He was a passionate and accomplished videographer, recording all the family functions, and skiing, hunting and fishing trips.
He is survived by his son, Arthur, and his wife, Carol A. (Kauffman) Brudereck of Sinking Spring; and by his daughter, Jeri Lynn (Brudereck) and her husband, Nicholas Piccolo, of Alma, Mich. He was predeceased by his daughter, the Rev. Joan Grier (Brudereck) Spangler, who is survived by her husband, Donald C. Spangler of Bethlehem, Pa.
Also surviving are grandchildren Jeff Brudereck of Denver, Colo.; Jason Brudereck and his wife, Kristen (Texter) Brudereck of Whitfield; Jodi (Spangler) Wycherley and her husband, Ken Wycherley, of Bethlehem; Amy (Spangler) Dillman and her husband, Bill Dillman, of Bethlehem; Mark Spangler and his wife, Carline (Thomas) Spangler, of Conshohocken, Pa.; and Jessica Piccolo of Alma; Joanne Piccolo of Denver, Colo.; and T.J. Piccolo of Nashville.
Also surviving are great-grandchildren William and Maggie Brudereck of Whitfield; Alison, Ryan and Colin Wycherley, Nathan Levy and Max Dillman, all of Bethlehem; and Julien and Willow Spangler of Conshohocken.
Bill is also survived by a sister, Betty (Brudereck) Lashbrook, of Seattle, Wash. He was predeceased by his brothers, Arthur J. and Robert, and by his sister, Mabel (Brudereck) Thomas.
He is also survived by nieces and nephews Ross Brudereck; Scott, Bruce and Kristen Thomas; James Brudereck; Robin (Brudereck) Martin; and Art, Ken and Nancy Lashbrook.
Services will be private at the convenience of the family.
The family would like to extend their thanks to the wonderful caregivers at the Country Meadows Connections program of Wyomissing for their kindness and compassion.
A bird watcher, Bill was a volunteer for many years at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bill's name can be made to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, 1700 Hawk Mountain Road, Kempton, PA 19529.
Bean Funeral Homes & Crematory of Sinking Spring is in charge of arrangements; online condolences may be made at www.beanfuneralhomes.com