1. Howard Franklin Rickenbach, b. 8 February 1906, d. November 1961 in West Reading, PA, cause of death cerebral hemmorage
Father: 2. John Benjamin Rickenbach, b. 1881 in Rickenbach Station, Bern Township, PA, d. 25 October 1948
Mother: 2. Mary Emma Gallagher, b. November 1885 in Jamestown, New Jersey, d. 28 December 1964Howard was born in Reading, at a house near the Buttonwood Bridge. His father later moved the family to 604A Penn Ave. in W. Reading. HFR attended W. Reading High School, and graduated in the class of 1923.
He then went to Renssauler Polytechnic Institute, receiving his B..S in civil engineering in 1927. In 1928 he met Elisabeth Vorrath while taking a harbor cruise at Atlantic City, NJ. They hit it off quickly, and were married several months later on 13 October 1928. They lived in Philadelphia at 247 Sparks St., where HFR worked as a civil engineer at the municipal water division. HFR Jr. and Bob were born there. In 1938, he applied for and was accepted as the borough manager (mayor) of West Reading PA.
By all accounts HFR Sr. was a jovial, witty man. This can be seen in his letters to his son Bob written in the 1950s. HFR Sr. was an excellent public speaker. His tenure as borough manager of W. Reading was long (1938-1961) and fruitful. He enjoyed cigars and a good game of croquet in the backyard.
Diane on HFR Sr: "Dad had researched the Rickenbachs back to Switzerland and had voluminous notes, an extensive card file and had sources all cross-referenced. I remember him sharing his findings on several occasions - all spread out on the dining table. I believe that most of his research took place while I was at boarding school, from 1958 until his death ( which by the way was in November of 1961 - not February 12, 1961 - he died during the week of the elections in November, so some time during the first week - he suffered the cerebral hemorrhage either Monday or Tuesday of that week, dying at the end of the week, but before the weekend - my brother Bob and Mother did not notify me at school until after he had died but I can place the death as I just said - The research Dad did was shared at some point after his death by Mother with a man doing research on the Rickenbachs. I asked Mother several times over the years if she ever got all the materials back from the man - she was very vague on the issue. So, bottom line, don't know if much of the material Dad compiled was given away and not returned."
Spouse: Elisabeth Margaret Vorrath, b. 14 August 1905 in Buchenbach, Germany, d. 26 January 1999 in Bellflower, CA
Father: Ulrich Vorrath, b. December 1876, d. 1955?
Mother: Magdelene Lager, b. December 1885, d. December 1916Left Buchenbach, Germany in about 1925 to come to the US. Her Aunt Barbara, who lived in Baltimore, sponsored Elisabeth to immigrate. Elisabeth worked as a nanny for a man named Galloway, who was the vice president of the B&O railway. Met Howard F. Rickenbach Sr. in Atlantic City on a harbor cruise boat in 1928. They were married six months later. (source, grandmother herself).
According to Frieda, "also, she told me she fell in love with some other guy on the ship to the states.... still loved him when gd came on the scene.. or at least he loved her. hard to tell what was reciprocated."
According to Aunt Diane: "Mother said that she came here, knowing only her sponsor - an aunt in Baltimore. Mother
worked at the aunt's family's shoe store, in an ethnic section of the city - since Mother spoke little English - though she was taking courses at night to learn English. I do not remember the length of time, but it was a couple of years, and Mother said that she then sponsored Barbara to come to the US."Married 13 October 1928.
Children and grandchildren:
Ancestor families report created by Gene 4.3.4, Fri, Aug 17, 2001