LUDWICK FUNERAL HOMES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Insurance and Aftercare
- Member and past President
AMY E. (DeTurk) EVANS, another life-long resident of Kutztown, PA, graduated from Kutztown Area High School in 1982. Amy is the daughter of Merrily J. (Leibensperger) DeTurk and the late David W. DeTurk.
Amy is a member and Past President on Kutztown Lions Club, is a past Chairperson of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Kutztown, Topton Community Ambulance, where she serves as President, and the Lyons Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary. Amy resides in Kutztown with her husband, Todd. They have four children, Sarah (Koenig), wife of Jeffrey Bricker, Rebecca (Koenig), wife of Joseph Schrump, Conner Koenig, fiancé of Wynonah Kalbach, all of Kutztown and David, husband of Heidi Jo (Heddings) Evans of Australia. There are also three grandchildren, Harper and Emerson Bricker and Winry Neal.
Amy and Todd own and operate Evans Cemetery Memorials, located in Tower City and Kutztown. Amy is also the owner and operator of Yard Card Queen in Kutztown, yard signs for any occasion.
Amy is our Insurance and Aftercare Coordinator. Having Amy's expertise and knowledge of insurance and the Medicaid process is very beneficial to our funeral home and to the families we serve both during the preplanning process and at time of need. She also coordinates "Tuesday's with Amy", a support group which meets monthly for a casual lunch. Amy also spearheads our quarterly newsletter. Amy has been a part of our funeral home family since 2006, and after a brief hiatus, has returned in 2023 to fulfill her passion of serving families during their time of need.
BRIAN A. BECK, is a graduate of Kutztown Area High School and The Electronics Training Center. He was a long-time employee of International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), working as a Customer Engineer for 42 years. Brian is an active member of the Kutztown Community. He serves as a member of the Church Consistory and the Chairman of the Property Committee at Saint Paul's United Church of Christ, Kutztown; The Kutztown Historical Society, The Kutztown Rod and Gun Club, and The Kutztown Fire Company.
Brian lives in Kutztown with his wife, Ethel M. (Wertz) DeMatteo-Beck; and has two children, Scott Beck and Jennifer (Beck) Kleiman; two step daughters, Christina (Dematteo) Luckenbill and Marcie DeMatteo; and eight grandchildren, Sydney, Christian, Phillip, Allan, Mitchell, Ellayna, Jarad and Tyler. In his free time, Brian enjoys working on his collection of classic cars and working around his home. He has been a member of our funeral staff since 2015. Brian enjoys helping people, especially in their time of need.
Job Titles:
- Office Manager & Notary Public
DENNIS E. SEIBERT, is a 1956 graduate of Brandywine Heights High School, Topton. He, along with his wife, owned and operated the former Schappell's Hardware Store, Topton for 32 years, retiring in 1999. Dennis, an active member of the Topton community, serves on Topton Centennial and Street Fair Committee, where he coordinates the annual classic car show and cruise. He also is a member of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Mertztown, where he was a former church council member, and a member of Topton Lions Club.
Dennis and his wife, Sandra J. (Ziegler) Seibert, reside in Topton and have a daughter, Dawn, granddaughter, Alison and grandson, Andrew; and a great- grandson, Miles. Dennis is an avid Ford Mustang enthusiast. He has been a member of our funeral home staff since 2000.
Job Titles:
- Supervisor
- Co - Owner Funeral Director & Supervisor
- Supervisor - Jonathan M. Quier, F.D.
ETHEL M. (WERTZ) DEMATTEO-BECK, is a 1965 graduate of Kutztown Area High School, and a 1966 graduate of Allentown School of Cosmetology. She is a dedicated member of Saint Paul's United Church of Christ, Kutztown. She is also a member of the Kutztown Area Historical Society, Kutztown Fire Company and Fraternal Order of Eagles, Arie 839, Kutztown. Prior to retirement, Ethel worked as a Hairdresser, Bookkeeper, Secretary and Caregiver.
Ethel lives in Kutztown with her husband, Brian, and has two children, Christina (Dematteo) Luckenbill and Marcie DeMatteo; two step children, Scott Beck and Jennifer (Beck) Kleiman; and eight grandchildren, Jarad, Tyler, Sydney, Christian, Phillip, Allan, Mitchell and Ellayna. In her free time, Ethel enjoys reading, gardening and flowers, kayaking and boating, going for walks, going to the casinos and spending time with her family and friends. She has been a member of our funeral home staff since 2017.
Job Titles:
- Funeral Director, Former Owner
JAMES R. LUDWICK, is a 1971 Graduate of Liberty High School, Bethlehem, PA. He is a 1976 Graduate of Simmons School of Mortuary Science, Syracuse, NY, and received his Funeral Director's license in 1977. He holds a BA in Social Sciences from Pennsylvania State University, State College. He attended Elon College, NC, Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA and Northampton Community College, Bethlehem, PA.
James has two daughters, Amy Ludwick and Beth (Ludwick) Duncan; and two grandsons, Jayden and Carson. He is a member of Saint Paul's United Church of Christ, Kutztown, PA., where he formerly served on the Property and Finance Committees, and enjoys golf. He is also a member of the National Funeral Directors Association, Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association, International Cemetery Cremation and Funeral Association, Eastern Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association, Berks County Funeral Director's Association, where he served as a former President, and Bethlehem Lodge #283, F.&A.M.
James began his funeral service career at the former Snyder Funeral Home Bethlehem and Long Funeral Home, Bethlehem, while in high school. He also worked for Koch Funeral Home, State College, while attending Penn State University. After college, James was employed by Pearson Funeral Home, Bethlehem, until a partnership was formed between himself and Mr. Earl A. Trexler, owner of Trexler Funeral Home, Topton, in 1981. James owned and operated Ludwick Funeral Homes, Inc. from 1986 until his retirement on December 28, 2021.
JOHN H. KEISER, JR., is a graduate of Kutztown Area High School, but grew up in Topton, PA. He was a Vice President of Atlas Minerals and Chemicals, Inc., Mertztown, working there for 49 years, until his retirement in 2003. John is a member of Saint Paul's United Church of Christ, Kutztown, where he serves as President of the church Consistory, and is also a member of the Finance and Property committees. John is the Executive Director of the Kutztown Area High School Education Foundation, Kutztown Lions Club, Berks County Hall of Fame, Cougar Tale, and was a former member of Sales and Marketing Club, National Association of Corrosion Engineers. He also was a former board member of Saucony Cross Apartments, Kutztown, and the Zoning Hearing Board for the Borough of Kutztown and Maxatawny Township.
John resides in Maxatawny Township with his wife, Marcia F. (DeTurk) Keiser, and has two daughters, Julie A. (Keiser) Esposito and Sally L. (Keiser) French; four grandchildren, Brad, Ashley, Tyler and Cristen; and four great-grandchildren, Wesley, Margot, Cristian and Collyns. John enjoys playing tennis and keeping active. He has been a member of our funeral home staff since 2015.
Job Titles:
- Supervisor
- Co - Owner Funeral Director & Supervisor
- Supervisor - Deron K. Youse, F.D
JONATHAN M. QUIER, a resident of Kutztown, PA, graduated from Kutztown Area High School in 2006, where he was very active in the entire music program and swim team. He is the son of Lisa (Herman) Bollinger of Topton and Michael Quier of Blandon, and grandson of the late Harry and Nettie Herman, former owners of Herman's Drive-In, Topton. Jonathan is a 2009 graduate of Northampton Community College, Bethlehem, PA, where he received an Associate Degree in Funeral Service Education. He was awarded with the 2009 Pennsylvania Funeral Director's Award, an award given to one student in the state of Pennsylvania, per year, who has excelled in education and showed outstanding knowledge of funeral service. Jonathan received his Funeral Director's license in 2010. Jonathan also is a Certified Crematory Operator, Certified Cremation Services Provider, and holds a Life Insurance Producer's License in the State of Pennsylvania.
He is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Topton, PA, and former member of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Kutztown, where he shares his musical talents with both congregations. An Eagle Scout, Jonathan is a member of several professional organizations: The National Funeral Directors Association, Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association, Berks County Funeral Directors Association, where he served as President in 2017, 2018 and 2023, Eastern Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association and International Cemetery Cremation and Funeral Association. During his time as President of the Berks County Funeral Directors Association, Jonathan participated with the Berks County Suicide Prevention Task Force, and the Decedent Care Committee Board of Tower Health - Reading Hospital.
Jonathan is a founding member of Friends of Brandywine, a non-profit community based group in the Brandywine Heights Area School District, which focuses on raising money to help students and families in need in the Brandywine Heights community. He is a currently a member of the Board of Directors for Kutztown Community Partnership and is active with the Kutztown Hobos. Jonathan accompanies several area music groups including The Kutztown Community Choir and The Reading Philharmonic Band on drums and percussion and performs vocally and instrumentally with other church and music groups throughout the Kutztown, Topton, Fleetwood and surrounding areas. He formerly served as the Assistant Director, member of the organizational committee, and performed with The Brandywine Minstrels for 10 years, as well as performing in several Fleetwood Community Theater productions.
Jonathan resides in Kutztown with his wife, Meghan (Smith) Quier, and his two children, Greyson and Addyson. He serves as the Supervisor of the Topton facility, and has been a part of the Ludwick Funeral Home Family since 2005. In December 2021, Jonathan purchased both the Kutztown and Topton funeral home locations, along with Deron K. Youse. He is honored to have the opportunity as a funeral director to serve families in the very community he was raised and help families in their time of need.
Built in 1959, and redecorated in 2000, our fully handicap accessible funeral home has seating for over 100 guests, ample off street parking and complimentary WiFi. This facility also features an arrangement office, family lounge and a home-like atmosphere. We have a state-of -the art audio and visual system that can play memorial tribute videos and musical selections from just about any electronic device and the capability to record and webcast (LIVE-stream) services either on-site or off-site.
KEVIN ZERWICK, grew up in Allentown, PA and is a 1975 graduate of Parkland High School. After graduation, he went to work in the security field, working for Security Service Company for 24 years as both an installer as well as the Installation Manager, and later, as a Commercial Security Consultant. In 2001, Kevin and sister purchased Cloud Nine Pet Services, Breinigsville, where they had the honor of serving thousands of families over the years with their pet's final needs until their retirement in 2021. Kevin was also a member of the former Bowers Lions Club, serving twice as President.
Kevin and his wife Lisa (Angstadt) Zerwick, live in Bowers, PA. They have a son, Bobby, and a granddaughter, Penelope. He is a member of Christ (DeLong) United Church of Christ, Bowers, having served as a former President of the church Consistory and on their Property Committee. He is an avid fisherman and loves spending as much time as he can on his boat. Kevin is known as the "Clark Griswold" of Bowers for his love of decorating for the Christmas Holidays! He has been a member of our funeral home staff since 2022.
LISA (ANGSTADT) ZERWICK, grew up in Mertztown, PA, and is a 1980 graduate of Brandywine Heights High School, Topton. She began he career as a bookkeeper for a local security company and then moved on to the insurance industry, where she worked as a bookkeeper for 30 years until her retirement in 2019. In addition, Lisa also worked at her and her husband Kevin's business, Cloud Nine Pet Services, Breinigsville, until their retirement in 2021.
Lisa and her husband Kevin, live in Bowers, PA. They have a son, Bobby, and a granddaughter, Penelope. She is a member of Christ (DeLong) United Church of Christ, Bowers, having served as both the church Treasurer and Secretary of the Consistory. Lisa has also served as an assistant and volunteer tennis coach over the years for Brandywine Heights High School. She loves spending time with her family and friends and hopes to be able to do a lot of traveling in her retirement. Lisa has been a member of our funeral home staff since 2022.
EMORY B. FENSTERMACHER, Funeral Director Emeritus (In Memoriam) a life-long resident of Kutztown, passed away on Sunday morning, February 24, 2019 in Lehigh Valley Hospital, Cedar Crest, at the age of 83. He was the loving husband of Sandra E. (Scherer) Fenstermacher, whom he married on March 8, 1959. Born in Kutztown, Emory was a son of the late J. Max and Ella V. (Fink) Fenstermacher.
Emory was a dedicated and faithful member of Saint Paul's United Church of Christ, Kutztown, PA., where he served as an Elder, Deacon and former secretary of the Consistory. Emory was currently serving as chairman of the communion and visitation committee. He also served on the Pastoral Relations Committee, served as a Confirmation Class Mentor, and volunteered with many other church activities.
He was a 1953 graduate of Kutztown Area High School, where he was a member of the Boys Basketball, Baseball and Soccer Teams and played trombone in the band. He continued his education at Eckels School of Mortuary Science and Temple University, graduating in 1956, receiving an Associate Degree in Technology and his Funeral Directors license in 1957.
Upon his college graduation, Emory pursued a career in Funeral Service, working for the former Fritz and Kendall Funeral Home in Kutztown. Following the opening of Max's Thriftway Supermarket, Emory left funeral service and worked 30 years for, and later purchased his father's supermarket in Kutztown, When the store closed in 1987, he decided to once again continue his passion for Funeral Service, working as a Funeral Director for Earl A. Trexler and James R. Ludwick at the Trexler-Ludwick Funeral Home in Kutztown and Topton, now Ludwick Funeral Homes and Cremation Care, Inc. Emory served as the licensed supervisor of the Kutztown facility from 1990 until 2010. After 27 years of continuous service to the Kutztown and Topton communities, Emory retired in 2013, but still continued to help on a part-time basis.
He was a member of the Kutztown Lions Club, since 1987, having attained a perfect attendance record. Emory was a Melvin Jones Award recipient in 2011 and also received the Pennsylvania Lions Foundation Award in 2010. Mr. Fenstermacher was a member of Huguenot Lodge #377, F.& A.M., Kutztown. Professionally, Emory was a member of the National Funeral Directors Association, Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association, Berks County Funeral Directors Association and Eastern Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association.
Emory was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and enjoyed watching and following sports. He was a member of Cougar Tale, a founding member of Kutztown Area High School Athletic Hall of Fame and served as its secretary since 2002. He also enjoyed his frequent visits to Burger King, drinking a fountain Coke, and enjoyed social events with his family and friends. Most of all, Emory was a very proud father and grandfather.
In addition to his wife of 59 years, Sandy, Emory is survived by his three sons, Craig B., husband of Dr. Kimberly H. (Hursh) Fenstermacher, York, PA; Taylor B. Fenstermacher, Winston Salem, NC; and Brent E. Fenstermacher, Fleetwood, PA; two grandchildren, Anna K. and Andrew C. Fenstermacher; sister-in-law, Margaret E. "Maggie" (Stein) Fenstermacher, Macungie, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Earl A. "Deet", husband of Bonnie J. (Scherer) Hoppes, Macungie, and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Emory was predeceased by a brother, Reverend Dr. William C. Fenstermacher, and sister and brother-in-law, Gloria A. (Fenstermacher) and Robert L. Webb.
REV. ARTHUR L. HAHN, is a 1957 graduate of Lansdowne-Alden High School. He received his BA in Psychology at Muhlenberg College, Allentown in 1961 and his M.DIV. at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia in 1964. He was employed as Interim Pastor at St. John's Lutheran/UCC Church in Auburn, PA from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that he was the Pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Topton from 1976 retiring in 2001; St. Paul's III Lutheran Church, Palmer Township, Easton from 1967 to 1976 and Grace Lutheran Church, Norristown from 1964 to 1967.
He is a life member of Palmer Municipal Fire Department, Easton and was the former Chaplain of Northampton County Prison and Palmer Township Municipal Police Department. He was the former Dean of the Bethlehem/Easton District of the ELCA. He was a Rotary Club Member of Kutztown from 1994 to 2006; former member of Topton Lions Club from 1978 to 1992 and former member of the Topton Boro Council, where he served as president from 2006 to the present. He was a member of The Brandywine Minstrels for 15 years, Kutztown Community Choir for three years and was a Choir Member of Trinity Lutheran Church and other churches where he was called as Pastor. He is presently a member and Supply Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Topton. He and his wife, Nancy C. (Wood) Hahn, reside in Topton and have two children, Ellen M. (Hahn), wife of Michael J. Grossman and Stephen A. Hahn, husband of Heather L. (Wardell). Rev. Hahn has been assisting the families we serve as our Chaplain and Family Grief Counselor and also, a Funeral Assistant since 2001.
SANDRA J. (ZIEGLER) SEIBERT, is a 1956 graduate of Kutztown Area High School, Kutztown. She, along with her husband, owned and operated the former Schappell's Hardware Store, Topton for 32 years, retiring in 1999. Sandra is a member of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Mertztown, and Topton Lioness Club.
An avid baker and dessert maker, Sandy works part-time in the bakery at Weis Markets in Kutztown. Sandy and her husband, Dennis, reside in Topton and have a daughter, Dawn, granddaughter, Alison and grandson, Andrew; and a great- grandson, Miles. She has been a member of our funeral home staff since 2000.
TODD EVANS, lives in Kutztown with his wife, Amy E. (DeTurk) Evans. He is a full-time paramedic with Skippack Emergency Services, Montgomery County, and also works with Topton Community Ambulance, Topton and MedEvac Emergency Services, Allentown.
Todd is a volunteer firefighter with Kutztown Fire and Rescue, and currently serves as their Chief.
He, along with his wife, Amy own and operate Evans Cemetery Memorials, based in Kutztown and Tower City, PA.
Todd has a son, David T., husband of Heidi Jo (Heddings) Evans, Australia, daughters, Sarah E. (Koenig) husband of Jeffrey A. Bricker and Rebecca K. (Koenig) husband of Joseph A. Schrump, and son, Connor W. Koenig, fiance' of Wynonna Kalbach. There are also three granddaughters, Harper and Emerson Bricker, and Winry Neal.
Todd has been a part of the Ludwick Funeral Home family since 2012.