Richard Allen Burgert, Sr.

Richard Allen Burgert, Sr.

Richard Allen Burgert, Sr., 86, of Elizabethtown, formerly of Myerstown, PA., passed away early September 12, 2015.  Born in Franklin, PA. on May 5, 1929, son of Clifford J. Burgert and Cecil Vincent (Jones) Burgert.  Richard married Annette (Kunselman) in 1951, and celebrated their 64th anniversary in 2015.

Dick was predeceased by his son, Richard A. Burgert, Jr., sisters, Barbara Slaughenhaupt, Jolene Kresge and three brothers-in-law.  Surviving in addition to his wife, Annette are two daughters, Kerrie Burgert Badertscher and Susan Ann (Burgert) Baumgartner, five grandchildren: Kyle Badertscher, Beth, Tom and Leyna Baumgartner, and Erin Burgert.  Also surviving is his sister, Sondra King of Beaver Falls, PA., and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Louella (Kunselman) Kightlinger and Art Kightlinger. Dick also had numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews whom he loved dearly.

Richard served in the USMC, attended Bliss Electrical School, and Tri-State College, Angola, Indiana with his B.S. in Electrical Engineering.  His entire career was spent working in the public utility fields, first with Penelec in western PA., then 20 years with Columbus and Southern Ohio Electric Company where he retired as a Vice-president of C & SOE, a subsidiary of American Electric Power. After his retirement there, Richard accepted a position as Lebanon Division Director of Metropolitan Edison Co., PA.

Richard was active as a volunteer for many charitable organizations.  Richard’s Masonic activities included AASR Consistory, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction in the Valleys of New Castle and Oil City as well as Mount Olivet Lodge No. 704, F&AM, Lebanon, PA.

A Funeral Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16 at the Sell Chapel in Masonic Village, Elizabethtown, PA with Timothy A. Nickel, Hospice Chaplain presiding. A viewing will be held the hour prior to the service. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Miller-Finkenbinder Funeral Home & Crematory, 130 N. Market St., Elizabethtown, PA.

A second service in Franklin, Pennsylvania, Richard’s hometown on Saturday, September 19, 11 a.m. at the Huff Chapel, 312 W. Park Street, Franklin, PA., with viewing at 10 a.m.  Reverend Richard Kightlinger, Pastor of Venus Evangelical Church, Venus, Pennsylvania will be presiding with interment following the service at the Franklin Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to contribute may do so in Richard’s memory to the Masonic Village Hospice or to Masonic Charities, 1 Masonic Drive, Elizabethtown, PA, 17022.