Joyce Gerhart Sekelic

Joyce Evelyn Gerhart (Barth) Sekelic, age 89, formerly of Myrtle Beach, SC and Reading, passed away on February 6, 2016 at the home of daughter Anita in Fort Collins, CO following a brief illness. Born December 5, 1926 to John Frey Gerhart and Emma Marie (Priese) Gerhart in West Reading, she was the younger of two girls. Her sister, Grace Elsie Gerhart, died at age 16 when Joyce was 8. Joyce was 15 when Pearl Harbor was attacked, and WWII had a large impact on her early life. She learned to fly before she learned to drive and served during the war flying airplanes for the Civil Air Patrol, where she met her future husband, Donald K. Barth. The senior class trip was usually to Washington DC, but Joyce’s trip was canceled due to the war. She bemoaned that the war ruined everything. After graduating West Reading High in 1944 she worked for AT&T. Joyce and Donald married on April 20, 1946 and Joyce became a wonderful mother to four children: Kathy B. Sorensen (Salt Lake City, UT), David W. Barth (Reading, PA), John K. Barth (Ashland, OR) and Anita B. Rehner (Fort Collins, CO). On their farm near Fleetwood, Joyce grew vegetables and flowers, always sharing with others. After her children were mostly grown, Joyce studied to become an LPN. Graduating in 1972 from Berks County Vo-Tech, she began nursing at St. Joseph's Hospital, then Berks Heim. She married Andrew Sekelic Sr. on October 31, 1976. In 1984, they moved to Myrtle Beach where she worked in Admissions at Grand Strand Regional Hospital from 1985 until 2000. She enjoyed caring for others, playing / watching tennis and golf, looking for sharks’ teeth at the beach, cruises, and the color red. A lifelong animal lover, she once nursed a crow with a broken wing (“Joe the Crow”) back to health and was dismayed when he latched on to her finger with his talons and refused to let go. She adopted a baby groundhog, and when she found a box turtle with a crushed foot on the road, she took it to the vet. She loved dogs and watching squirrels and birds from her window. During her 18 months in Colorado, she developed a fondness for the Broncos’ Peyton Manning (#18). Besides her children, survivors include 6 grandchildren (Christian and Lars Rehner of Fort Collins, CO; Linaria Kitchen of Ashland, OR; Brandi Kateman and Courtney and David Barth Jr., all of the Reading area), and 3 great-grandchildren: Kayla, Evan, and Maddix. In addition to her sister and parents, Joyce was predeceased by her first and second husbands. Joyce will be greatly missed by her loving famiand all who knew her. Per her wishes, there will be no service.

Joyce Gerhart Sekelic

December 5, 1926 - February 6, 2016