Lee F. Gassert

Lee F. "Chico" Gassert, 89, of West Reading, passed peacefully in his residence on February 23, 2016, exactly one year after his wife Phyllis passed. He bought their home in West Reading in 1952 and lived there for 63 years.

He was predeceased by his wife, Phyllis, to whom he was married to for 68 years; his parents, John and Mamie (Saul); a brother, John; a sister, Emily Koch; and a nephew, Michael Bond.

Lee attended high school at Robesonia Schools until 1943. He joined the Navy in 1944, attaining the rank of Coxswain, served in Europe and London, England, and met and married his future wife, Phyllis, while in England. Lee was raised in a Pennsylvania Dutch family. He loved speaking Pennsylvania Dutch to anyone who also knew the language and this helped him to interpret German for the Navy while stationed in England and Paris.

After his Honorable Discharge from the Navy in 1947, Lee returned to the Reading area where he worked for Textile Machine Works in Wyomissing from 1947 to 1967, straightening needles, and later worked as a Machinist at Zacharias Machine Shop in Reading, retiring in 1991. Lee also worked at Hinsey's Gas Station in the 1960's part-time and delivered prescriptions, into his 80's, for (the former) Brunner's Pharmacy and (the present) Esterbrook Pharmacy, West Reading. Lee was an avid hunter and fisherman, and also enjoyed bowling and golf. He also loved planting vegetables in his garden, feeding his favorite birds, working on his Word Search puzzles, and he loved to eat! He built bird houses, for himself and others, until last year, as he was a very good woodworker.

He is survived by his daughter, Susie Olson Dahms and her husband Doug, of Oley; his grandson, Jesse Olson and his wife Danielle, of NC; two granddaughters, Stephanie Bowling and her husband Wilson from California and Kristin Murphy from Horsham. He also had five great-grandchildren: Patrick, Austin, Ashtyn, Jeremy and Travis. Also surviving are two nieces, Judy Hartman and Nancy Shaffer; and two nephews, Maynard Koch and wife Elaine, and John Koch and wife Cheryl.

He was very close with his extended family, Karen O'Brien and husband Don of Wyomissing; Kent Olson and his wife Carol Ann and daughter Kayla of Kempton; Andy O'Brien and his wife Christine from Vermont; Matt O'Brien and his wife Jennifer and son Wyatt of Exeter; Kate O'Brien from Philadelphia; and Donna Gassert. Also his wife's nephew, Martin Bond; a niece, Susan Bond, both from England; two great-nephews, Philip Bond and his wife Belinda and daughter Grace from Adelaide; and Stefan Bond and his wife Lynette and daughter Daisy from Dubai.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 19, at 5:00 p.m. in Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., 739 Penn Avenue, West Reading, PA, 19611. Visitation is from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, P. O. Box 15120, Chicago, IL, 60693. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhome.com.