Obituary for Harriet S. Motyl (Swalley)
Harriet S. (Swalley) Motyl, 91, formerly of Reading, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 18, 2021, at Berkshire Center, Exeter Township. She was the daughter of the late Harry and Rose (Snyder) Swalley.
Harriet led a very full life, graduating from Reading High School and chairing alumni reunions there for many years. She was a real “go-getter” in everything she did, from working in accounting at Western Electric, where she was President of the Telephone Pioneers, a feat she was extremely proud of, to serving as President of the Ladies Auxiliary at Reading Hospital. She enjoyed local theater, including performing many times with Reading Civic Opera/Theatre at the Rajah, and with choirs at her churches: St. Luke’s in Reading, and Atonement Lutheran Church in Wyomissing. Harriet also loved to travel, and visited so many wonderful areas throughout the US, including Hawaii.
Harriet is survived by her daughter Lizbeth, wife of Michael Zientek, Shillington, and son, Michael, husband of Enid, The Villages, Florida. Also surviving are the grandchildren she cherished so dearly: Christopher Zientek, Whitney Shuster, and Michael Motyl, her great-grandchildren, Maxwell, Cameron and Carter, and her brother Richard Swalley, Oley.
A Celebration of Harriet’s life will be held Thursday, March 25, 2021, at 11am at Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, 739 Penn Avenue, West Reading, with a visitation for friends and family from 10-11am at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Pleasantview Cemetery, Sinking Spring. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.
Harriet led a very full life, graduating from Reading High School and chairing alumni reunions there for many years. She was a real “go-getter” in everything she did, from working in accounting at Western Electric, where she was President of the Telephone Pioneers, a feat she was extremely proud of, to serving as President of the Ladies Auxiliary at Reading Hospital. She enjoyed local theater, including performing many times with Reading Civic Opera/Theatre at the Rajah, and with choirs at her churches: St. Luke’s in Reading, and Atonement Lutheran Church in Wyomissing. Harriet also loved to travel, and visited so many wonderful areas throughout the US, including Hawaii.
Harriet is survived by her daughter Lizbeth, wife of Michael Zientek, Shillington, and son, Michael, husband of Enid, The Villages, Florida. Also surviving are the grandchildren she cherished so dearly: Christopher Zientek, Whitney Shuster, and Michael Motyl, her great-grandchildren, Maxwell, Cameron and Carter, and her brother Richard Swalley, Oley.
A Celebration of Harriet’s life will be held Thursday, March 25, 2021, at 11am at Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, 739 Penn Avenue, West Reading, with a visitation for friends and family from 10-11am at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Pleasantview Cemetery, Sinking Spring. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.