Dr. James Kenneth Hershberger

Dr. James Kenneth Hershberger, known to his loved ones as Jim, passed away Tuesday evening, August 29, 2023, at the age of 94 in Martinsburg.

He was born Oct. 20, 1928, in Akron, Ohio, son of the late George E. and Alma R. (Baker) Hershberger. On Oct. 15, 1949, Jim married Shirley Jean Hull at the Loysburg Methodist Church. She preceded him in death April 16, 2019, following 69 years of marriage.

He is survived by two sons: Mark W. Hershberger of Audubon, NJ and Richard A. Hershberger of Morgantown; three granddaughters: Hannah and Leah Hershberger of Orlando, Fla. and Paige Hershberger of Morgantown; and a grandson, Garret Hershberger of Morgantown.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Jane Rice and a brother, William Hershberger.

Jim dedicated his life to education, starting as a classroom teacher and guidance counselor at various high schools, including Replogle High School, Northern Bedford County High School, and Spring Grove Area High School. He later became the Director of Curriculum and Guidance at Spring Grove Area School District and an instructor in Continuing Education at Penn State University. In 1968, he became a professor of guidance and psychology at Kutztown State College until his retirement in 1986.

Jim’s contributions to education were recognized when he was named Outstanding Practitioner by the Pennsylvania Association of Educators and Supervisors in 1983. He was also invited to be a visiting scholar and guest of Penn State University’s College of Education.

He finished his career in private counseling and as Director of Wholistic Health Care for Good Shepherd / Topton Lutheran Home.

Jim served briefly in the United States Army, with an honorable discharge.

Outside of his professional life, Jim actively participated in the Lutheran church, serving as a lay minister, classroom teacher, and member of the choir. He found joy in reading fiction and thriller novels and staying well-informed by reading multiple regional newspapers. Jim also coached little league baseball and enjoyed attending sporting events for his children and grandchildren.

He had a green thumb and spent time working in his gardens, cultivating strawberries and undertaking various landscaping projects. Golf, family and friend reunions, and get-togethers were also sources of happiness for him. Jim’s love for his wife’s Hickory Nut Cake was legendary, and he always welcomed friends, family, and neighbors into his home. He also had a passion for music and enjoyed collecting Early American Pattern Glass.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at the Bice Memorial Chapel at Homewood at Martinsburg. Rev. Jerry McCuller Jr. will be officiating.

Jim’s dedication to education and his love for his family, church, and community will be remembered by all who knew him. He will be deeply missed.

Memorial contributions in memory of Jim can be given to Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601.

Arrangements by John K. Bolger Funeral Home Inc., Martinsburg, (www.bolgerfuneralhome.com).