Donald Paul Hallacher of Londonderry Village in Palmyra, PA, died on December 8, 2018 at the age of 90. He was born on October 15, 1928, in the room above Hallacher’s Store, 102 Penn Avenue, Sinking Spring, PA. He was the son of Paul E. and Mattie May (Kemp) Hallacher.
He was given the nickname “Duke” at an early age by his father which stuck for his entire life. Duke Hallacher had just one sibling, the late Virginia Lambert, whom he dearly loved. In his early years, the Hallacher’s Store was a center of local activity and he would later regale family and friends alike with tales of his childhood exploits in rural Berks County.
On June 10,1950, he married Virginia May Fegley of Quakake, PA and they remained married for 68 years until his death. They made their home in Reading and raised four children there. He is survived by his wife who continues to reside at Londonderry Village, his daughters Lydia Greiner (Phil) of San Diego, CA and Leslie Crosley (Kevin) of Clinton, NY, and his sons Paul (Rhea) of State College, PA and Mark (Debbie) of Reading, PA, plus nine grandchildren.
Duke Hallacher graduated from Sinking Spring High School in 1946, and for the next 25 years worked in the food industry, first operating the family store in Sinking Spring and then taking employment with the Heinz Company and later the Walter A. Sions Company. While working for Sions, in 1964 at age 36, he entered Kutztown State College as an incoming part-time freshman. Today, non-traditional students are common on college campuses, but not so in the 1960s.
This is one of many examples of how Don Hallacher cut his own path in life and in many ways was frequently ahead of his time. After six years of part-time study, in 1972, he was awarded the Bachelor of Science in Education, left the Sions Company and became a third-grade teacher in the Reading School District. In 1975, he received the Master of Education from Kutztown.
Camping was a great love, and in the summer of 1970, he took his family on a road trip across the United States in a Chevy Biscayne wagon towing a hand painted, tiger-striped pop-up camper, complete with a tail. Then, from 1978-1985, he and his wife hiked across the U.S. carrying backpacks and sleeping in a tent. They accomplished this feat first by hiking from Point Pleasant, NJ to Kearny, NE in 200-300 mile stretches each summer between 1978-1984, and then in 1985 Duke took a sabbatical from his teaching job and they trekked from Kearny to the Oregon coast.
In the years that followed, they gave many talks to interested groups about their fascinating experiences on this great journey. He had a lifelong love of the arts and in his later years he took up watercolor painting in earnest. In his last two decades, he produced dozens of watercolors, including many landscapes inspired by his cross-country trips.
Many of these he sold at local art shows and others are cherished by his children and grandchildren. He was a Mason and a member of St. Johns Lodge #435 Reading, PA for 55 years. He was a faithful member of the Church of the Brethren.
He was a modest and dignified man with a wonderful sense of humor. He loved his family, his country and its people. He encouraged and instilled in all of his children intellectual curiosity and independence of mind.
Above all he taught his children tolerance and acceptance of others. He was kind and generous of spirit and he helped many people in ways large and small. His most treasured advice to us is that we be selective, and choose what is good as we each walk our own path – and never that of another.
May he rest in peace. A visitation will be held 10:00 AM Friday, December 28, 2018 at the DiMatteo Worship Center of Londonderry Village, 1200 Grubb Road, Palmyra followed by a memorial service at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, contributions, may be made to the Good Samaritan Fund of Londonderry Village, 1200 Grubb Road, Palmyra, PA 17078.
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