Carl Nathaniel Netscher

C. Nathaniel “Nat” Netscher passed away on April 30, 2025, at the age of 95. He was born in Lancaster, PA, the only child of Thelma J. and Carl N. Netscher. He lived most of his life in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, before moving to Moravian Manor, Lititz, in September 2015.

Nat graduated from Manheim Township High School in 1947, attended Franklin and Marshall College, and was graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 1951, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Following college, Nat served in the U.S. Army for two years during the Korean War, mostly in the Panama Canal Zone.

Shortly after completing his military service, Nat was hired by Steinman Stations in Lancaster, initially as a sales rep with WGAL Radio. He then spent nine years in the promotion department at WGAL-TV. At the latter he met Nancy Dussinger, who became his wife for sixty-five wonderful years. After WGAL came twenty-eight years of employment in personnel management with the company known as New Holland Machine when he was hired, and as CNH Industrial today.

After Nat’s retirement from New Holland in 1991, he became a part-time tour guide with Brunswick Tours in Lancaster County, Hershey and Gettysburg. He also worked part-time at the information booth at Park City Mall and volunteered as a reader with the Lancaster Blind Association’s (now VisionCorps) radio reading service. For his work at the blind center, he was awarded the organization’s Volunteer of the Year Award in 2003.

Nat’s most memorable post-retirement activity was as the author of two books about Manheim Township. “The First 100 Years” is the story of the Manheim Township School District from the late 1840s to the late 1940s. “From the Beginning” is the history of Manheim Township from its creation in 1729 to the year of the book’s publication in 2003. It was published to commemorate the district’s 275th anniversary in 2004. That year he was honored by being named a Distinguished Alumnus of Manheim Township High School. He was frequently invited to speak to different groups about the history of the Township and the local home front during World War II.

Through his full-time working years and beyond, Nat served many organizations as a volunteer, often as a member of the group’s board of directors. Among them were the United Way, Boy Scouts, Urban League, Family & Children’s Service, Lancaster Airport Advisory Committee, Chamber of Commerce, Boettcher House, Institute of Management (at F&M) and Meals on Wheels. At Moravian Manor, he was a member of the Library Committee, helped to deliver mail and participated as a cast member in several stage presentations.

Nat was a longtime member of Highland Presbyterian Church, which he served as a Trustee, usher and a member of the Nominating Committee.

Nat had a marvelous sense of humor and relished his relationship with others who bore a similar trait. He was a skillful puzzler, enjoying all kinds of word games from basic crosswords to complicated cryptics. Reading was another leisure interest, especially books about World War II, the American Civil War, and British mystery. In the daily LNP newspaper, he almost always turned first to the sports section, especially during Penn State football season, after scanning the front-page headlines.

Nat and Nan enjoyed traveling together in the United States, Canada and abroad. Their overseas destinations included Panama, Costa Rica, Bermuda, the Bahamas, England, Ireland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. The best vacation spot of all, however, was Stone Harbor, NJ, when they were accompanied by their children Beth and Tom during their middle and high school years.

Nat was extremely proud of the accomplishments of his two children. When asked to select highlights in his life, topping the list were ones that involved the kids and Nan, such as anniversaries, graduations and birthdays.

He is survived by his daughter Elizabeth Ellen “Beth” Netscher, of Lancaster, and two cousins. He was pre-deceased by his wife, and son Thomas Edward.

A memorial service to celebrate Nat’s life will be held Friday, May 9, 2025, at Highland Presbyterian Church, 500 East Roseville Road, Lancaster, PA 17601. Visitation at 10:15am followed by service at 11am. Attendees are invited to the reception in Fellowship Hall for a light luncheon immediately following the service. Interment will be private at Conestoga Memorial Park Cemetery.