Donald W. Ackerman

Donald W. "Rip" Ackerman, 89, of Quakertown, passed away peacefully with his family present on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at Rockhill Mennonite Community in Sellersville. 

Born on November 2, 1934, in Quakertown, he was a son of the late Harold W. and Mabel K. (Wieand) Ackerman. 

A graduate of Quakertown High School’s Class of 1952, he went on to serve in the United States Army and was stationed in Nuremberg, Germany, where he served in the office of the General’s Attaché. 

Following his Honorable Discharge from the military in 1959, Donald began a decades-long career in plumbing, retiring as a Commercial Plumbing Project Manager. His noted projects included the Philadelphia Airport and Philadelphia Marriott. 

Outside of work, he found joy in fishing and hunting, traveling to the Canadian outback, Alaska and west to Montana, Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. In the 1950’s Don was a member of the American Casting Association. He was associated with the Hellertown Casting Club sponsored by Schaefer Brewing Company and was known for his unique “under and up”cast. The team competed in locations such as Madison Square Garden, the NY Coliseum, Washington DC, the Phila. Convention Center and the Toronto International Casting Championships, where the team attained first place and at that point was declared both a national and international champion. 

Donald was also an avid Penn State football fan, traveling to games and tailgates with friends and a line of proud family alumni. 

He was a long-time member of the Trumbauersville Lions Club and was awarded the “Lion of the Year Award” in 2004-2005. Donald chaired several fundraising events such as the club’s annual golf outing, annual game dinner and helped coordinate the yearly Easter egg hunt and Community Day. 

In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his wife of fifty-nine years: Betty A. Ackerman, who died in 2019; and a daughter: Kelly A. Ackerman. 

Donald will be lovingly remembered by his daughter: Cindy A. Sullivan (Kevin); grandchildren: William Sullivan and Morgan Sullivan; brother: Stewart Ackerman (Nancy); and sisters: Dorothy Merkle(Bill) and Linda Funk (Ron). 

A viewing will be held at the C.R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc., 821 West Broad Street, on Friday, October 4, 2024, from 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM. Funeral services will begin at 12:00 noon at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1565 Sleepy Hollow Rd, Spinnerstown, PA 18968. 

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to the Trumbauersville Lions Club, P.O. Box 33, Trumbauersville, PA 18970, St. John’s Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 120 Spinnerstown, PA 18968 or St. John’s Lutheran Church, 4 South Main St., Richlandtown, PA 18955. 

Interment will follow at St. John’s Church Cemetery, Spinnerstown.