Program Developer – Becky Hughes
We’re happy to welcome Rebecca Hughes as our new part-time program developer. Becky comes to us with a wealth of experience in historical museum leadership. She’s worked at the Daniel Boone Homestead and for Berks County Parks Department. Other
museum and community history work took Becky to Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Landis Valley Farm Museum, and the Oley Valley Community Library. Becky is involved with the Berks County Master Gardener program, assisting at the Reading Public Museum arboretum, and serving as secretary to the Berks Heritage Council. She’s not a stranger to us at the Historic Dreibelbis Farm, having led our quilting craft group at recent farm festivals! We look forward to the ways she can assist us in conserving our historic farm and offering interesting public programs.
President – Mark J. Dreibelbis
Mark J. Dreibelbis, President of the Dreibelbis Farm Historical Society, grew up in northern New Jersey and spent summers working at his grandparents’ farm near Fleetwood, Pa. where he developed an understanding of the PA German Culture. He graduated from Elizabethtown College with a B.S. in Occupational Therapy, and returned to Berks County with a first job at Reading Rehab Hospital. Mark founded Berks Hand Therapy Center in Wyomissing in 1987, and worked there as a certified hand therapist until his retirement in 2024. In 1996, he was approached by the Dreibelbis Cousins of America to help preserve the Jacob B. Dreibelbis homestead farm. The property was acquired in 1998 and Mark has been working since then to preserve and protect this historic treasure.
Vice President – Ned Dresher
Norman Dresher is a retired Lutheran pastor, having served congregations in Berks and Schuylkill Counties. He graduated from Gettysburg College and received graduate degrees and certifications from Wittenberg University and Luther Seminary in Minneapolis. Ned, as he’s called, has served on the board of the Dreibelbis Farm Historical Society since the non-profit was founded in 1989, with special attention to publicity and fundraising. Past community service has included board and officer roles with Hamburg Salvation Army Service Unit and Reading Urban Ministry. Ned also currently volunteers with the Hamburg Food Pantry, the Interim Ministry Committee, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod, and with IHartHarvest, Inc, the “Potato Project” which raises food to feed hungry neighbors.
Treasurer – Nancy Dresher
Nancy Dresher is a retired accountant, having worked in tax accounting with Berks County farmers and small business. She received an A.A. degree from Reading Area Community College and served as an elected auditor for twelve years for Windsor Township, Berks Co., PA. Nancy has been a volunteer for the historic Dreibelbis farm since 2011 and with the Hamburg Food Pantry since 2013. In addition to her work as treasurer for the non-profit farm corporation, she serves as Financial Secretary for Zion’s Lutheran Church of Perry Township.
Secretary – Jodi Greene
Jodi Greene is the Associate Professor of History and Political Science at Reading Area Community College where she also serves as the Undergraduate Research Coordinator. She holds a Master’s degree in History from West Chester University and formerly taught history at York College of Pennsylvania. She worked as a volunteer at the Daniel Boone Homestead and became involved with the Dreibelbis Farm Historical Society in 2011. She has served on the board since 2012.
Becky Mazzei
Becky (Dreibelbis) Mazzei holds a B.S. in Geology from Lafayette College. She has worked for the NJ Department of Environmental Protection since 2007 as an environmental specialist enforcing the State’s wetland, stream corridor, and coastal land use regulations. She has volunteered in the Girl Scout program and served on the leadership board of her church. She has also volunteered on service trips to Mexico and Guatemala, partnering with local communities to build housing and work with at-risk children. Currently most of her free time is spent with her 3 young children.
Dick Miller
Richard Miller, after serving as pastor in Brooklyn, NY, decided to move “back home” after 42 years in the city. Being back in the area of Pennsylvania Dutch culture, language, and cooking is a joy. A special place to “reconnect” has been the Dreibelbis Farm where he has spent time scraping, re-glazing, and painting windows, among other things. The best times on the farm are when it’s very quiet, and one hears only sounds of birds, insects, goats and hens. Richard is a graduate of Kutztown Area High School, Muhlenberg College, and Philadelphia Lutheran Seminary. Carolyn and he now live in Topton. Since his return to PA Dutch Country, he has spent lots of time reading, writing, and learning to speak more fluently in the dialect. He has enjoyed speaking at Grundsau Lodcshces, Fersommlings, and has preached at dialect Worship events.
Lester Miller
Lester Miller was a farmer for 20 years, followed by owning Millers Sanitary Service for another 30 years. In his retirement, he enjoys building puzzles, making candy with the Masons, and calling for hoedowns. He has been married to his wife, Faye, for 71 years. Together they have 4 daughters, 15 grandchildren, soon to be 29 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild!
Vernie Noecker
Vernie Shiposh Noecker is a tenth generation Berks Countian, born in N.J. She graduated from Wilkes University with a B.S. in Elementary Education and did grad work at Penn State and Kutztown Universities. Vernie is an emeritus member of the Board of the Pennsylvania State Sunday School Association, was formerly president of the Berks County Sunday School Association, and has taught Vacation Bible School and Sunday School for 53 years. She is the founder and director of the Christian Education Resource Library, co-founder of the Hamburg Youth Center, and co-founder of the Kings Academy of Mohrsville. Vernie taught in the Hamburg Area School District for 10 years and is a long-time volunteer for the Berks County Heritage Center as an historical interpreter. She is a mother of 3, grandmother of 9, and great-grandmother of 9. Along with her husband, Bob, she enjoys 19th century reenactment presentations.
Brian Ott
Brian Ott is a partner with the law firm of Barley Snyder and is the former Chair of the firm’s Personal Planning group. His practice focuses on estate planning and administration, business succession planning for family-owned businesses, and the representation of tax-exempt organizations. He has presented and written articles on a variety of estate planning topics. He is a member of the Pennsylvania and Berks County Bar Associations, a former president of the Berks County Estate Planning Council, and the former director of the Berks County Bar Association. He earned his B.A. at Lehigh University, his J.D. from Boston College Law School, and an LL.M in Taxation from Villanova University Law School.
Lara Thomas
Lara Thomas keeps coming back to history although she currently works for the Pennsylvania’s Department of Human Services in Medicaid Policy. She grew up doing Revolutionary War living history with her father and walking cemeteries and documenting family history with her mother. She learned to cook with cast iron over a campfire before successfully cooking on a stove. An interest in needle arts grew from learning to sew on a quilting frame surrounded by conversation in Pennsylvania Dutch. After finishing her teaching degree, she spent several years in outdoor education, camping, and non-profit work with South Mountain YMCA. She has worked in the public library system is a member of the Friends of Schuylkill Valley Community Library. She is the current secretary for the Berks County Association for Graveyard Preservation and member of the Association for Gravestone Studies.