Robert Morand Emberger, Sr.

Robert M. Emberger, Sr.

Robert Morand Emberger of Masonic Village in Elizabethtown returned home to the Lord on Monday evening, November 10 at the age of 101. Bob was a Navy veteran, a 75-year Mason, and lived at Masonic Village for over 20 years.

Bob was born on July 9, 1924 in South Philadelphia. He was the only child of Joseph M. Emberger and Elsie M. (Langton) Emberger. Bob attended Southern High School where he ran track and field. Bob and his teammates carried the Olympic torch in Philadelphia and he met Jesse Owens at a school assembly and invited him to train with the team that afternoon.

After high school graduation Bob enlisted in the Navy. The Navy deferred his enrollment in the pilot training program for one year so he enrolled at West Chester State Teachers College (now West Chester University). He ran on the cross-country team with the Owls. When the Navy called, Bob began pre-flight training at the University of Pennsylvania. He ran for the Quakers in the 4x1 mile relay in the Penn Relays. From the U of P he went to Mount St. Mary’s in Emmitsburg, MD. It was there he first soloed in a Piper Cub. He flew his first plane before he could drive a car. (though once he started driving, he drove until he was 98 years old!). Subsequently he continued training at the University of Georgia, Lambert Field in St. Louis, and finally in Corpus Christi, Texas. He earned his wings and was commissioned an Ensign on October 18, 1944. Bob’s first assignment was in Jacksonville, Florida where he flew 2 engine Catalinas (seaplanes) from the St. Johns River. Subsequently he was stationed in San Diego and NAS Kaneohe Bay before he deployed to the South Pacific with VBP-116, the Blue Raiders. Bob flew a PB4Y1 (Navy B-24) from bases on Tinian, Kwajalein, Guam, and Iwo Jima. His primary missions were submarine hunting, air sea rescue, and weather reconnaissance. He flew into multiple typhoons to track their wind speed and direction. At the end of the war he landed in Yokosuka, Japan. When Bob returned from the war, he went back to West Chester where he completed his bachelor’s degree in education.

Bob met the love of his life, Ruth, when she went to pick up his US Navy uniform from the dry cleaners. In 1949, Bob and Ruth married. They were married for 68 years until Ruth passed in 2017, and they raised four children.

Bob began his post college career as a teacher in East Lansdown, PA, eventually becoming department head of the Phys Ed department of the Lansdown Aldan school district. He earned his master’s degree from Temple University. During his tenure, he coached numerous sports including track and field, basketball, and the physical fitness team and wrote the Pennsylvania standard for intramural athletic programs. During the summer he managed the Aldan Swim Club. While teaching, Bob and several fellow educators decided they could do student scheduling and report cards better than other providers, so they formed Educators Processing Service which they ran on nights and weekends. They serviced numerous schools throughout the greater Delaware Valley before they sold the company. Bob was physically active and continued to exercise his entire life.

After retirement, Bob and Ruth moved from their long-time home in Broomall, PA to Avalon Manor in NJ. They enjoyed fishing and crabbing and living at the shore. During the summer they ran weekly pancake breakfasts each Saturday to benefit the Avalon Manor Home Improvement Association. Bob and Ruth were active members of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church of Stone Harbor. Bob led the fund raising for the stained-glass window project at St. Mary’s. While Bob and Ruth were active members of St. Mary’s, Robert Runcie, the then-Archbishop of Canterbury, vacationed annually (incognito) in Stone Harbor and attended St. Mary’s. Bob and the pastor of St Mary’s convinced Archbishop Runcie to bless the stained glass windows on his final visit to Stone Harbor before his retirement.

At the age of 80, Bob moved with Ruth to Masonic Village in Elizabethtown where they enjoyed local travel and playing bridge. For several years, Bob participated in the Lancaster Senior Games. After Ruth passed in 2017, he enjoyed the company of his dear companion and friend, Elizabeth (Betty) Hammell of Elizabethtown until she passed earlier this year. Together Bob & Betty watched all of the Philadelphia sports teams and discussed the merits of Penn State football.

Bob is survived by his four children – Bob Jr. and his wife Cathy of Bethlehem; Wayne and his wife Peg of Upper Township, NJ; Ruth and her husband Eric Adolfsen of Clermont, NJ; and Bill and his wife Lisa of Hardeeville, SC. Bob had 10 grandchildren. He was proud of all of them and attended many of their weddings and graduations. His 11 great grandchildren provided him with many smiles as he received pictures via Betty’s iPhone or learned of their exploits from his weekly calls with his children.

Funeral arrangements were made by Miller-Finkenbinder Funeral Home of Elizabethtown. Bob will be interred at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in a private ceremony with his family on Friday, November 21.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, 125 East High Street, Elizabethtown, PA 17022.

Or just give him 10 push-ups ;)

[Note: Anyone wanting to explore Bob’s Navy experiences can watch his YouTube video at the link below:]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x-mUtoNTjE