E. Bruce Malsnee

I was born May 23, 1920, to Earl J. Malsnee and Grace (Harper) Malsnee in Reading, PA.

My wife, H. Margaretta (Ertel) passed away on November 18, 2014, after almost 70 years of marriage. We have three surviving children: Jon S. Malsnee, husband of Bernice (Chang) deceased, Reading, PA; Karen Furman, Marlborough, MA; and Rebecca Malsnee-Fossett, wife of Carroll A. Fossett, Jr., Reading, PA. Also surviving are eight grandchildren: Kirsten (MA), Jessica (WA), Bret (CA), Kyle (MA), Nicholas (Spain), Kelley (MA), Gretchen (PA), and Bradford (CO); nine great grandchildren; and my sister, Emily (Malsnee) Youse.

My wife and three children were the most important things in my life. I always wanted the children to be well-mannered and well-liked by their peers and also by the adults that got to know them.

My youth found me extremely interested in nature, a study which I was able to take up with the Reading Public Museum's summer classes. Entomology was very interesting to me. I obtained a large collection over time and once I caught a rare cross-breed butterfly for which Dr. Levi Mengel gave me a group of tropical butterflies in trade.

During my local hiking and camping I met Fred Moser, the founder of the nature trail at Antietam Lake. I joined him, Martin Stapleton, and Ralph Rapp in building the trail around 1935.

While attending the Mt. Penn High School, I excelled in track and field. I won the 100 yard dash at the district championships and got into the state finals but did not medal. I also anchored the mile relay team to third place at the Penn Relays. The same year I held the county discus record for a short time.

After high school I took a trip to the southwest United States, hitchhiking and hopping freight trains.

I joined the United States Marine Corps three months before the attack on Pearl Harbor. I then applied for the Marine Paratroops. I trained with them and went overseas with them. I spent time on New Caledonia doing strenuous training and then in the southwest Pacific to the Solomon Islands. On a raid on the islands we were behind the Japanese, and found ourselves trapped. Later we got out when the boats came in at nightfall on another raid. I received the Purple Heart and had to be evacuated. After returning to the States I became a Sergeant in the Fifth Division, but had to return to the hospital where I was blessed to meet my future wife. She was a Navy nurse taking care of me. She was from Williamsport, PA, and the love of my life.

Eventually I became the owner of Earl J. Malsnee, Inc., Ceramic Tile and Marble Co.. We were always busy with local contracts and many across the state.

After the children were raised and on their own, I sold the business and retired.

Margaretta and I traveled a lot and had a very enjoyable life together for almost 70 years.

Most of my spare time I enjoyed hiking, backpacking, fishing for trout, and hunting. I had access to several camps in Clinton and Lycoming Counties. Many trips were with my Golden Retriever, Rex, who did a superb job of retrieving game.

God Bless all of my family and friends.

Services will be Saturday, November 19, 2016, at 2 p.m. at Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., 739 Penn Ave., West Reading, with burial to follow at Schwarzwald Cemetery. Friends may call Saturday from 1 to 2 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Berks Visiting Nurses Association, 1190 Berkshire Blvd., Wyomissing, PA 19610. Online condolences may be made at www.kuhnfuneralhome.com.

"TUFEL HUNDT"

"ONCE A MARINE, ALWAYS A MARINE"