John A. Grabert

John A. Grabert, age 75, 134 McHenry Hill Road, Orangeville, died at 10:15 a. m. Monday, November 23, 2015 at his home after an illness of two and a half  years.

Born in West Reading, Berks County, on February 21, 1940, he was a son of the late John F. and Verna (Hartman) Grabert. He resided in Columbia County since 1979 and previously lived in Jacobus, York County for 18 years.

John was  a 1957 graduate of Boyertown High School and a 1962 graduate of the former Kutztown State Teachers College. He earned his masters degree in Secondary Education from West Chester State Teachers College in 1977 and a degree in Secondary Education Administration from Western Maryland University in 1978. He also was the recipient of six grants from the National Science Foundation.

He began his teaching career at Susquehannock High School in York County in 1962 and taught there until 1979. In 1979 he accepted the position of Assistant High School Principal at Central Columbia High School and in 1984 he became the High School Principal, retiring in 1997. John then accepted a position at Bloomsburg University as Supervisor of Student Teachers, retiring again in 2013. He served on the PIAA District 4 committee from 1986 to 1997.

John was an active member of St. Luke Lutheran Church, Bloomsburg, where he served several terms on the church council, taught Sunday School and also served on several Mutual Ministries committees.

His hobbies included wood carving, gardening and doing cross stitch.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Gerald Richard Grabert.

Surviving are his wife, the former Judith A Davidheiser, with whom he would have celebrated 55 years of marriage on January 28, 2016: two sons Jeffrey Allen Grabert, and his wife Susan ,and Jon Andrew Grabert, and his wife Michele, all of (Oley) Fleetwood; a daughter, Jennifer Ann, wife of Henry Bowman, Hamburg; and six grandchildren: Kelsey Ann Grabert, Chloe Glen Bowman, Jared Andrew Grabert, Nickolas Rementer, Bailey Allen Bowman and Jordan Ashley Grabert.

Funeral services will be held on Friday at 11 a.m. in St. Luke Lutheran Church, 9 St. Luke’s Way, Bloomsburg, with his pastor, Rev. Jeffrey G. Bohan officiating. Interment will be in Fairview Cemetery, Boyertown, Berks County on Saturday at 10 a. m.

Viewing will be at the Church on Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. The family will provide flowers. Memorials in his name may be sent to St. Luke Lutheran Church, 9 St. Luke’s Way, Bloomsburg, PA 17815.