Copyright Reading Eagle
For information on submitting an obituary, please contact Reading Eagle by phone at 610-371-5018, or email at obituaries@readingeagle.com or fax at 610-371-5193. Most obituaries published in the Reading Eagle are submitted through funeral homes and cremation services, but we will accept submissions from families. Obituaries can be emailed to obituaries@readingeagle.com. In addition to the text of the obituary, any photographs that you wish to include can be attached to this email. Please put the text of the obituary in a Word document, a Google document or in the body of the email. The Reading Eagle also requires a way to verify the death, so please include either the phone number of the funeral home or cremation service that is in charge of the deceased's care or a photo of his/her death certificate. We also request that your full name, phone number and address are all included in this email. All payments by families must be made with a credit card. We will send a proof of the completed obituary before we require payment. The obituary cannot run, however, until we receive payment in full. Obituaries can be submitted for any future date, but they must be received no later than 3:00 p.m. the day prior to its running for it to be published. Please call the obituary desk, at 610-371-5018, for information on pricing. Standing in Reading’s Veterans Memorial Grove beneath gray skies late Tuesday morning, a frigid wind whipping through City Park, retired Army Chief Warrant Officer Will Tobin spoke about commitment. He talked about the incredible level of commitment to their country shown by the men and women who have put their lives on the line to serve in the United States armed forces. And he spoke about the commitment the country needs to have to them in return, particularly in light of the struggle so many veterans face. The veterans community has high incidences of financial strain, housing insecurity and mental health struggles, said Tobin, deputy director of the Berks County Veterans Affairs Office. Mental health struggles, Tobin said, are found in the community at an alarming rate. Veterans make up only 4% of the local population but account for 26% of suicides. “It’s a call to action for all of us to do more,” he said. Those affected, Tobin said, are mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. They’re neighbors and they’re friends. “They shape our schools, our neighborhoods and our local businesses,” he said. “They strengthen and bond our communities.” Tobin’s poignant remarks came during the annual Veterans Day service hosted at the park by the organizations of The Combined Veterans Council of Berks County. The event, which was attended by about 100 people, gave the community a chance to show appreciation for those who served and renew their commitment to supporting them. State Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz said veterans’ service is the reason children are able to play in the park, that small businesses can operate, that parents can build families. “I’m grateful for your sacrifice, for your work, for your dedication,” she said of veterans. “You have given of your life to us, and we need to do more to protect you.” City Council President Donna Reed used Tuesday’s bone-chilling weather to illustrate her point, saying the discomfort the crowd felt should make them think about the conditions so many veterans faced during their times in service. They faced those challenges out of a sense of duty, out of a desire to protect. “Their hearts were in public service, their hearts were to protect us,” Reed said. “Their hearts were to protect the constitution that protects all of us.”
