Barb Burger:
CLASS OF 1972
Haverford High SchoolClass of 1972
Havertown, PA
West Chester State Teacher's CollegeClass of 1976
West chester, PA
Oakmont Elementary SchoolClass of 1966
Havertown, PA
Barb's Story
Life
Here comes the boring stuff! Got married in 1976 to Jim Burger also from Havertown, immediately following graduation from WC University (then "State College") and we lived off State Rd. in Drexel Hill for 3 years, moving to West Chester in '79. Jim has worked for years as a regional sales manager for Honeywell. My major at WCU had been Speech Pathology but by graduation I wasn't feeling compelled to work in this area, so I spent 7 years working as a receptionist for a periodontist right in Havertown, Dr. Neil Gotteher, on WC Pike near Manoa Shopping Center, he's still there. I continued to work part-time for him for a few years following the birth of my daughter Jacqueline in 1982. Following many years at home as a homemaker, I slowly got back into the work arena - info in my Work Bio. I've been living in West Chester since 1979, spending 19 years in our 1st home then moving to a new home in 1998, also in WC. Our daughter spent the majority of her school years in the WC School District but switched to Delaware County Christian School in Newtown Square for her Jr and Sr years. She loved it there and made a lot of great friends. She went on to WC University and graduated Dec. 2004 with a degree in Communications. She interned at QVC here in West Chester and was as Asst. Buyer in Merchandising handbags for several years. Long work hours led her to move on to another job, she now sells inspection contracts for Oliver Sprinkler Co, King of Prussia. What she likes is that she splits her time between office and the road. She has lived in several apts but along with her now husband Ed Carson bought a new townhome in Coatesville Aug. 2009. There haven't been any monumental "happenings" in my life, haven't traveled a whole lot....my parents are still alive, Dad living in the house in Havertown where I grew up but Mom is in a nursing home. My brother Craig graduated Haverford in '65 and lives in Midlothian, VA (near Richmond), with his wife and son Adam who is 27. I'd love to hear from some of my old classmates. If any of you knew Janice Kotloff, she is my neighbor! She and her husband Bruce and daughter Alexis (16) moved in their house a few months after we moved into ours and we ran into each other outside - after chatting a few moments we discovered we were both from Havertown, then Haverford graduates, etc. We had even attended Oakmont School together but weren't close through middle or high school. Now we get together as neighbors. My husband threw me a surprise 50th birthday party a few years ago and invited a few of my old Haverford classmates (and husbands) I've kept in touch with over the years....Linda Morrow (now Wittig), Alison Yohe (now Schumacher), Nina Heck and her husband (fellow Haverfordian Gary O'Connor) and Sue Hensil. We all had a great time and of course none of us have changed a bit! Linda and Greg Wittig live in Downingtown with their daughter Sara who attends Univ. of Pittsburgh for a masters in nursing, Alison and her husband Steve live in Phoenixville with their 2 children Brandon and Kristin, Nina and Gary recently moved from Havertown to a new house on a golf course in Thorndale. Their eldest son is married and living in New York w/2 children and their younger son Dan has graduated WC University, my daughter knows him, and he is getting married summer 2011. Sue is now back living in Havertown after living in New Jersey for many years. Her 2 children are grown and on their own. Through Classmates I e-mailed a few of my old pals and heard back from most, it was fun to hear what's been going on. The 35-year class Reunion in King of Prussia o 2007 was great! I'd love to hear from more of you, I have a lot of fond memories and when I'm there, Havertown still feels like "home" to me despite the fact I've been gone for over 30 years. A few years ago I attended the celebration at Oakmont Elem. for it's closing. It was like walking back into the past, it was great. Life has been good to me, I have no complaints...let me know how you're doing, I'd love to hear from you...
School
Attended Kindergarten (who cares!) at Grace Chapel in Havertown, corner of Darby and Eagle Rds, 1959-60. Loved my next 6 years (1960-66) at Oakmont Elementary School on Eagle Rd. Went on to Junior High 1966-1969 then to good ole Haverford High, graduating in 1972. Favorite teachers in middle school? Mr. Belfiglio for 8th grade Math, our gang "tortured" him (Dick Hughes, Bruce Maglietto, Charlie Seifert, Linda Morrow, Alison Yohe, Linda Gregory), during his 1st year there, but we ended up enjoying him so much we were thrilled when we got him for math again in 9th grade. Also Mr. Wise for History in 7th grade, he scared me to death (flat out flunked his 1st major test) but he got me organized and I ended up with an A for the year. Remember Mr. Ritts (7th grade Geography) and his bow tie? Stacey Holly used to torture me with her comedic antics in that class and there were many days it was hard for me to concentrate. Once she got me laughing so hard I was truly crying and had to put my head down on my desk. Mr. Ritts thought I was upset about something so of course I let him believe it - thanks for the laughs Stacey! Enjoyed predictable Mr. Munz (Science? English? can't recall the class.) He and his wife currently attend our church out here in West Chester, and when he was finally able to recall our group of friends and those years, he said "that was back in the good ole days...," which is true! I swear he looks the same today that he did back then, he is like another Dick Clark, just doesn't age. He retired from the high school abou...Expand for more
t a year ago. I can recall the afternoon junior high football games, the whole school got out of class and went out to watch and support. And we all had a HJHS handbook that had the rules of the school and the cheers/songs the cheerleaders led. Wow. How about those Friday night dances? When most of the girls danced with OTHER GIRLS. And no one could leave until the dance was over. But it was a rite of passage. Remember the black and white newsreels, "You Are There" that they'd show us during History classtime? I can still hear that narrator's voice and particularly recall the one about Julius Caesar and his death. Our days were truly like those on "The Wonder Years," there are a lot of similarities. Favorite respected teacher in high school? Mr. DeMuzio for 10th and 11th grade Math, he taught me some good lessons. Mr. Clemmer for Chemistry (and Homeroom)- NO! I was totally lost. Who was the fellow who taught Biology and sold the Dunkin Donuts for a quarter? Remember our Senior Prom at the Downingtown Inn? Now in its place is a gorgeous shopping center, the area has really changed. Wow, a bunch of us gals joined the bowling league for 2 years - if any of you did the same, remember the HORRIBLE purple bus from Wynnewood Lanes that picked you up and took you there? We'd swear that on the ride down windy Karakung Drive the bus was going to tip over on one of the curves. And the driver had no fear. How about 1970 and the bus trips to Harrisburg to watch our basketball team compete for the State Championship. That was exciting. I can clearly recall listening to Michael Jackson singing "ABC" on the radio on one of the rides out. Saturday football games were great, even traveling to Ridley, Conestoga and of course Upper Darby for the Thanksgiving game. I was on Stage Crew in 10th and 11th grade, it was a lot of fun, especially getting out of class to prepare for the class plays. One thing we all experienced was the changing of the Dress Code during the year 1969/70, when the gals were allowed to wear pants, but only dress slacks. No jeans, corduroys, khakis etc. And no t-shirts or sweatshirts, only sweaters, blouses etc. No sneakers were allowed, only "decent" shoes. We all felt so cool and it's neat to share that I was in high school when the "skirts and dresses only" rule for girls went out the window. Occasionally driving to school in 11th and 12th grade was a thrill. Lots and lots of fun memories....
College
Attended West Chester State College from 1972-1976. I majored in Speech Patholody and Audiology, but never worked in the field. I didn't have "a passion" for the work, which I saw in some of my fellow classmates..and that combined with the fact that I'd be forced to get a Master's Degree within 3-4 years of graduation to continue to work in the field, caused me to decide to pursue other work after graduation. I commuted during my years at WC, mostly because I was dating my future husband at the time, he also lived in Havertown and was working full-time while attending night school at Phila. College of Textile and Science (now Philadelphia University.) I really enjoyed my years at WC, however I know I missed a special experience by not living there. But all worked out in the end. I don't really keep in contact with anyone I knew from those years. Now living in WC I've often thought I'd run into some of them, but I don't.
Workplace
After finishing up at West Chester State College in 1976, I went to work as a Receptionist/Front Desk Manager (and occasional chairside assistant!) for a periodontist in Havertown, Dr. Neil Gottehrer, who has an office on West Chester Pike near Manoa Shopping Center. At that time I was also working part-time evenings and weekends at the Wanamaker's Dept. store in Wynnewood. I worked for the Dr. for about 7 years, leaving when I had my daughter, Jacqueline. I returned to work part-time for the Dr. once my daughter was about 2. I filed insurance claims and did various other office duties for another 4 years. At that time, I stopped working for the Dr. The succeeding years found me heavily involved in activities with my daughter, heavily involved in school volunteering, PTO etc. During her middle school years I was responsible for the publication of the school's "Memory Book," their yearbook. I practically lived at that school, but it was a great reward when the book was completed each year. In 1999 I began doing support/administrative work at home for a local fire alarm group called the PA Regional Automatic Fire Alarm Association. My husband was a member of the group. Along with doing administrative work at home, I attend the Chapter and Board meetings held at the Montgomery County Fire Academy in Conshohocken or at Widener University in Chester. It's fun and enjoyable work, and the guys are great. There's either a Chapter or Board meeting every month. The members are people/companies involved in any aspect of the fire alarm industry. In 2000 I also started working part-time for a company in Chadds Ford who sells/distributes chromatography supplies, doing some data entry and customer service - this got me out of the house more. (The husband of one of my good friends is part owner of the company.) I was there about 1 1/2 years and when cutbacks came, they had to let the part-timers go. I am still working at home for the PA AFAA and also "on call" for FAMCO (Fire Alarm Maintenance Co) in Clifton Heights. I have done work for them over the years after having met the owner through my work with the AFAA. This, along with my "housework" and our Sheltie dog Chelsea keeps me busy at this point in my life....
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