William S. Hollenbach

"> William S. Hollenbach
William S. Hollenbach, 83, husband of Jane E. (Griffith) Hollenbach and the late Norma O. (Schantzenbach) Hollenbach and the late Vera (Gravatt) Taylor Hollenbach, of Villa at Morlatton, Douglassville and formerly of Boyertown, died Thursday evening at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. Born in Allentown, the son of the late Frederick J. and Escie (Reichert) Hollenbach. Mr. Hollenbach was an Army Air-Corp. Veteran of World War II, serving as a First Lieutenant in C.B.I. He was a Penn State University Graduate with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, and was a member of and past President of the Sigma Pi Fraternity. He was the President of W. Hollenbach Co., Boyertown for 41 years before retiring in 1989. Mr. Hollenbach was an associate member of St. Johns Lutheran Church, Boyertown, where he had served on church council, chairman of the property committee, the marketing committee and the Endowment committee. He was a current member of St. Gabriels Episcopal Church, Douglassville. Mr. Hollenbach also served on the Boyertown Water Authority, the Boyertown Employee and Police retirement committee. He was a member of the Middle Atlantic Lumbermans Association where he served as past chairman of the Retirement Trust and the Insurance Trust. In 1996, Mr. Hollenbach was recognized as the Boyertown Citizen of the Year. He was selected for the honor for his part in rejuvenating the Boyertown-area economy through numerous business ventures, as well as his commitment to community service. He and his son were co-owners of Hollenbach Home Center in the mid 1980s. Mr. Hollenbachs latest accomplishment before his selection was his work with a coalition of area businessmen to build the Walnut Acres retirement complex. Mr. Hollenbach was one of the founding members of the Boyertown Jaycees chapter in 1950, as well as having had affiliations with the Boyertown Rotary Club, Boyertown Area Y.M.C.A., the Tri-County Area Chamber of Commerce and St. Johns Lutheran Church, Boyertown. More recently, since 2001 he was the co-founder and President of Pro Tool Industries Inc., of Boyertown. Mr. Hollenbach was an avid tennis player and thoroughly enjoyed traveling. Survivors: Wife; a son, W. James husband of Sharon A. Hollenbach of Gilbertsville; a daughter, Priscilla A. wife of Charles N. Anderson of Mt. Upton, N.Y., along with two step sons, Mark G. husband of Linda M. Scheifley of Pottstown and Jack Taylor of Boyertown; a step daughter, Sherry wife of Kenneth Fillman of Boyertown; four grandchildren, Stephanie and Andrew Hollenbach, Megan OShaughnessy and Corin Anderson; nine step grandchildren; a great-granddaughter. He was predeceased by two stepdaughters, two brothers, John and Frederick Hollenbach, and a sister, Kathryn Schmoyer. Services: A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3, St. Johns Lutheran Church, 45 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown, with Rev. John G. Pearson and Father Calvin Adams officiating. Burial private in St. Gabriels Episcopal Church Cemetery, Douglassville. Arrangements by Catagnus Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 1020 Phila. Ave. Gilbertsville. Contributions: In his memory to any of the following: St. Johns Lutheran Church, Hollenbach Family Endowment Fund, 45 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown, Pa. 19512; the St. Gabriels Episcopal Church, Endowment Fund, Rt. 422 E., Douglassville, Pa. 19518; Boyertown Y.M.C.A., 301 W. Spring St., Boyertown, Pa. 19512.