Karen E. Rathgeber, 49, of 75 Congress Street passed away Tuesday, August 5, 2008 in Bradford.
Born August 24, 1958, in Bristol, Pa., she was a daughter of Gerald G. "Tic" and Carol Ann "Skipper" (Lewis) Rathgeber.
Ms. Rathgeber was a 1976 graduate of Pennsbury High School and a 1980 graduate of Lock Haven University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education, with a major in Spanish Language and a minor in English. She also attended Gannon University for her Masters Degree.
She traveled to El Salvador where she was a translator to a small delegation for the United Church of Christ. She moved to Spain where she was an English tutor, returned to the United States and worked for Bell Telephone as a Spanish speaking operator, then to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and taught English at a bilingual elementary school. In 2002 she moved to the Bradford area where she taught first in Shinglehouse and then in Bradford. She was the advisor to the Spanish Club at Fretz Middle School, instructor for Emersion Spanish Class and Adult Education Spanish Class. She was also Advisor for SALSA, Students Advocating Life without Substance Abuse, and volunteered at FCI McKean in the Christian Ministry Program for Spanish speaking inmates. She was a member of Sweet Adeline's.
She was employed as a Spanish Teacher at Floyd C. Fretz Middle School. She attended Hill Memorial United Methodist Church.
In addition to her parents, she is survived by Mi Amor: Thomas R. Kifer of Bradford; two sons, Marc Serrano-Rathgeber of Philadelphia and Nico Alvarado-Rathgeber of Bradford; two sisters, Kathy Lincoln of Penndel and Carol E. Rathgeber of Honey Brook; two brothers, Jerry Rathgeber of Bensalem and Steve Rathgeber of Chester Spring; and several nieces and nephews.
Family will be receiving friends on Friday, August 8, 2008 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes, Inc., South Ave. and then again on Saturday, August 9, 2008, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Hill Memorial United Methodist Church, followed by funeral services with Rev. David Bunnell officiating.
Burial will be in Ott Cemetery Ridgway.
A Memorial Service will be held at a later date to be announced in Holland, Pa.
Memorials if desired may be made to Hill Memorial United Methodist Church, Vacation Bible School Fund, 44 Kennedy Street, Bradford, Pa. 16701. Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes
Can we please stop arguing back and forth about this, nobody on here is going to have anything to say about it once the county rules in favor or against it, I am personally sick of scrolling through post after post to try and get to the next article.