Donald A. Boarder, 85, fir of Exeter Township, passed away on August 19, 2026. Born in Reading, PA on August 19, 1941, he was the son of Orion G. and Mabel C. (Hauder) Boarder. He also had an older brother Orion. They lived in the city of Reading until Donald's senior year of high school. That's when his family moved to Exeter Township where he became a graduate of Exeter Township Senior High School. He then spent a year studying at Kutztown University before entering the work force full time.

He spent 35 years at GPU Nuclear Corporation where he worked as a lab technician doing inspections, failure analysis, and testing at various power plants both nuclear and coal alike, including Three Mile Island where he was a part of the team that investigated the reactor failure. He loved this job so much that even after retirement he went back to work for them part time. He did that until the age of 70.

Donald is survived by his four children, Eric F. Boarder, husband of Gail, Kelly Jo Boarder, Matthew D. Boarder, husband of Catrina, and Taryn Karas, wife of Jeffrey; eight grandchildren, Erica and Owen Boarder; Mason, Clare, Leah, and Whitney Boarder; and Kyla and Jeffrey Karas; and a great grandson, Logan Griffith. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Orion G. Boarder, and also his grandson, Joshua R. Griffith.

Besides, the love and passion he had for his family, friends, and job. He also enjoyed other interests like doing his daily crossword puzzles in the Reading Eagle newspaper, reading his National Geographic magazines, and watching just about every sport and crime drama there is on TV. He also enjoyed playing in a golf league every Sunday with his friends from GPU until he retired. Then him and his brother Orion started a weekly poker game with friends. He also loved taking vacations with his family all over the United States. Always driving of course, as Don would not get on a airplane. Zig zagging across the country with Don was more entertaining than the destinations, on occasion.

He also had a true passion for flowers. He always had vases of flowers decorating the house. He always said if he hadn't been a lab technician he would have been a florist. He was definitely a man who lived life to the fullest.

Visitation with family and friends will be held on Friday, August 28, 2026 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am with services beginning at 11:00 am at Lutz Funeral Home, Inc., 2100 Perkiomen Avenue, Reading, PA 19606. Interment will follow at Forest Hills Memorial Park, 390 W Neversink Road, Reading, PA 19606. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Donald's memory to the Dementia Society of America online at dementiasociety.org/donate or by mail to Dementia Society of America, PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901. Lutz Funeral Home, Inc., has been entrusted with arrangements.