John E. Lerch

John E. Lerch, 83 of Laureldale, died on December 14, 2007 at 9:55 a.m. in ManorCare, Laureldale where he had been a patient since March.

He was the husband to Betty J. (Whitman) whom he married on February 11, 1950.

Born in Laureldale on June 21, 1924, he was a son to the late Charles A. and Verna E. (Degler) Lerch.

John was a graduate of Muhlenberg High School in 1942. He studied economics, commercial law and installment lending through Berks County Chapter, American Institute of Banking at Albright College.

He was first employed as a loan officer and later became the Assistant Secretary at the American Bank, later Meridian Bank, where he worked a total of twenty years before retiring in 1984.

John served in the U.S. Army during WWII.

He was a member of Calvary Lutheran Church, Laureldale.

Also surviving are two sisters, Dorothy F. (Lerch) Althouse of Laureldale.

He was predeceased by a sister Sarah L. (Lerch) Heckman.

Services will be held on Tuesday at 11 a.m. in the Walter R. Christ Funeral Home, Inc., 3300 Kutztown Road, Laureldale with the Rev. Grant A. Wickert officiating. A viewing will be held one hour prior to services in the funeral home. Burial will be in Laureldale Cemetery, Muhlenberg Township. For online condolences, please visit www.christfuneralhome.com.