ROBERT R. WERTZ

Robert Ray Wertz, 85, of 600 East Roseville Road, #2306, Lancaster, PA 17601, died peacefully on Sunday, September 16, 2012, at Hospice and Community Care in Mount Joy, PA. He was the husband of Jean Burger Wertz. They would have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in November. Born in Somerset, PA on June 14, 1927, he was the son of the late William Harvey Wertz and Elsie Shanks Wertz. The family moved from Somerset to Lancaster to Elkton, MD, then to Dover, DE. A graduate of Dover High School, Bob served in the United States Navy from June of 1945 to July of 1946. He began working for Diamond State Telephone Company first in Dover and then worked as an engineer for Bell of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia for most of his career. He resided in Wilmington, DE for more than 55 years before moving to The Long Community at Highland in Lancaster in January. He was a long-time member of Concord Presbyterian Church in Wilmington where he served as a deacon. He spent many years volunteering with the Bell Telephone Pioneers working on their Talking Books project for the blind. He was a Free and Accepted Mason and belonged to Union Lodge #7 A.F. & A.M. in Dover. He enjoyed gardening, traveling, hunting and trap shooting. He especially enjoyed spending time on the Chesapeake Bay with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his daughter Lynn and her husband Timothy W. Peters of Lancaster, his son Robert R. Wertz Jr and his partner Michael R. Dailey of St. Petersburg, FL; Grandchildren Timothy W Peters Jr and his wife Elizabeth of Lancaster and Megan P. Glenn and her husband Lee of Reston, VA; Great grandchildren Timothy III (Tripp), Kent and Elizabeth Markley Peters of Lancaster and Zachary, James and Michael Glenn of Reston. He is also survived by two sisters: Mary Laverne Milnes of Pittsburgh, PA and Glennis Johansen of Ashburn, VA, and sisters-in-law Betty Casson of Wilmington, DE and Peggy Spears of Covington, GA and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two brothers William H. and Donald W. Wertz. A private burial will take place at Lakeside Cemetery in Dover, DE in October. The family wishes to thank the Hospice staff for the kind and compassionate care they provided. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice and Community Care, 685 Good Drive, PO Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604.

ROBERT R. WERTZ

September 17, 2012