Donora unites in birthday wishes for Burkhardt
By ERIC SEIVERLING
eseiverling@yourmvi.com
Sirens were blaring and horns were honking along Waddell Avenue in Donora Thursday.
But there weren’t any fires or emergencies.
Instead, the town came out to help resident George Lewis Burkhardt celebrate his 94th birthday with a drive-by parade from family, friends, Donora Fire Squad 66 and Donora and Carroll Township police.
Burkhardt sat on his porch, took in the festivities and waved to everybody.
“They must like me,” he said with a grin.
A life-long Donora resident, Burkhardt, affectionately called “Pap,” left school in the seventh grade to focus on staying home with his family.
“I said ‘They can’t teach me nothing,’” he recalled.
Before leaving school, he met his future wife, Geraldine, who passed away a little over a year ago.
“She went out with different guys and she said she didn’t want any of them,” he said. “I gave her a kiss and that started it.”
To read the rest of this story, please see a copy of Friday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at https://e.monvalleyindependent.com.
