J. Raymond Brubaker, 87, of Exeter Township, passed away on Friday, December 31, 2021, in The Highlands at Wyomissing. Ray was born to Jay Martin and Myrtle (Peters) Brubaker on a farm in Lancaster County where the Brubaker family settled over 300 years ago.
Perhaps his love of history grew from the deep roots of his Lancaster heritage. Ray was a graduate of West Lampeter High School, Elizabethtown College and Princeton Theological Seminary, an institution with which he shared an active life-long relationship. Following his ordination as a minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, he served as associate pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of York PA. It was while he was in York that he married Susan Sheatsley, his wife of 59 years. York is also where their 3 children Brad, Sarah, and Bart were born.
In 1967, Ray accepted a call to Pennside Presbyterian Church in Reading PA where he served the congregation for 35 years, a family of Christ’s faithful that he pastored with integrity and whom he dearly loved. Ray’s conviction that the church should be critically involved in the surrounding community was confirmed by the diversity and depth of his personal involvement in civic affairs. One legacy was his initiation of the Chaplaincy program at the Reading Hospital.
The picture would be incomplete if we didn’t mention Ray’s love of the Philadelphia sports teams, especially the Eagles. He also had great passion for his weekly tennis matches. He maintained a presence on the court until his 85th year.
In addition to his wife, Ray is survived by his children; Brad Brubaker, husband of Denise Pell Brubaker, Sarah Brubaker Burnett, wife of Misa Burnett, and Bart Brubaker, husband of Kate Walker Brubaker. He is also survived by seven grandchildren; Rebecca, Ryan, Elizabeth, Danielle, Jack, Sasha, and Kathryn, as well as his sister, Dorothy Charles, and brother, Roy Brubaker. Ray was predeceased by his sister, Mary Brubaker, and brother Robert Brubaker.
A service will be held on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at 11:00 am at Pennside Presbyterian Church 253 N. 25th St. Reading, PA 19606. Due to limited capacity and COVID restrictions, in-person attendees will be reserved for close friends and family. The family encourages those who are unable to attend to participate in a stream of the service using the link provided on Pennside Presbyterian Church's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/145019712223755/posts/5034985769893767/?d=n
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Pennside Presbyterian Church or Keystone Planned Parenthood, Attn: Donations, 610 Louis Drive – Suite 300, Warminster PA 18974. Lutz Funeral Home, Inc. is in charge of arrangements. For online condolences, please visit www.LutzFuneralHome.com.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Ray Brubaker, please visit our flower store.
Perhaps his love of history grew from the deep roots of his Lancaster heritage. Ray was a graduate of West Lampeter High School, Elizabethtown College and Princeton Theological Seminary, an institution with which he shared an active life-long relationship. Following his ordination as a minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, he served as associate pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of York PA. It was while he was in York that he married Susan Sheatsley, his wife of 59 years. York is also where their 3 children Brad, Sarah, and Bart were born.
In 1967, Ray accepted a call to Pennside Presbyterian Church in Reading PA where he served the congregation for 35 years, a family of Christ’s faithful that he pastored with integrity and whom he dearly loved. Ray’s conviction that the church should be critically involved in the surrounding community was confirmed by the diversity and depth of his personal involvement in civic affairs. One legacy was his initiation of the Chaplaincy program at the Reading Hospital.
The picture would be incomplete if we didn’t mention Ray’s love of the Philadelphia sports teams, especially the Eagles. He also had great passion for his weekly tennis matches. He maintained a presence on the court until his 85th year.
In addition to his wife, Ray is survived by his children; Brad Brubaker, husband of Denise Pell Brubaker, Sarah Brubaker Burnett, wife of Misa Burnett, and Bart Brubaker, husband of Kate Walker Brubaker. He is also survived by seven grandchildren; Rebecca, Ryan, Elizabeth, Danielle, Jack, Sasha, and Kathryn, as well as his sister, Dorothy Charles, and brother, Roy Brubaker. Ray was predeceased by his sister, Mary Brubaker, and brother Robert Brubaker.
A service will be held on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at 11:00 am at Pennside Presbyterian Church 253 N. 25th St. Reading, PA 19606. Due to limited capacity and COVID restrictions, in-person attendees will be reserved for close friends and family. The family encourages those who are unable to attend to participate in a stream of the service using the link provided on Pennside Presbyterian Church's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/145019712223755/posts/5034985769893767/?d=n
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Pennside Presbyterian Church or Keystone Planned Parenthood, Attn: Donations, 610 Louis Drive – Suite 300, Warminster PA 18974. Lutz Funeral Home, Inc. is in charge of arrangements. For online condolences, please visit www.LutzFuneralHome.com.
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