Edmund Robert Hercer

Edmund Robert Hercer, age 93, of Devon, PA, passed away peacefully on May 4, 2023, surrounded by his family.

Edmund was the beloved husband of the late Mary Hercer (nee Hynek), loving father to Julie Gropp (Richard), Robert Hercer, and Mark Hercer (Nancy); and proud grandfather to R. William Gropp (Meagan), Matthew Gropp (Christy), Jeffrey Gropp, Arielle Kay (Steve), and A. Zachary Hercer, and great-grandfather to Madison Kay and Riley Gropp, and his late sister Alice Dawidczyk, and nieces and nephews.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, he was the son of the late Edmund Adam and Michaelene (née Grzybowski) Hercer. Edmund was a graduate of University of Illinois in Journalism and had a Master of Science in Editorial Journalism. He was a Communications Editor for General Electric Company and GE Aerospace Systems in Illinois, New York, and Pennsylvania.  He also was a Widener University and Immaculata University Professor for English Studies. He wrote for local papers such as Delaware County Daily Times, County Leader, and Marple Mirror along with various comedy writing scripts working with Phyllis Diller, Bob Hope, and Jay Leno, among others. He was a member of the National Speakers Association. He appeared in dozens of plays and musicals and had a passion for music and performance in professional dinner theaters. He was a business consultant and wrote dozens of speeches and columns for college and local publications. He received two Bronze Stars fighting in Korea in the United States Army as an artillerist and war correspondent. He served in several battle campaigns and was a writer for the military’s daily news source, Pacific Stars and Stripes.

Edmund had over 30 years of professional writing experience and wrote and edited for daily and weekly newspapers, employee publications, business brochures and special bulletins. He also loved comedy and speech writing and wrote for numerous entertainers, public speakers, and comedians.  

After retiring from GE, Ed never slowed down. He loved teaching and taught numerous communications and English courses at Widener and Immaculata Universities. He loved helping his students and felt extremely proud and fulfilled when teaching and helping his students succeed. Ed wrote “…I was doing something constructive, teaching and acting in professional musicals that entertained audiences was pretty much fulfilling my destiny. There is a satisfaction in teaching others your specialty (writing with purpose) because it’s helping those folks, you’re instructing to have a better life.”

Edmund loved to eat and has a passion for hot tea and chocolate chip cookies. He was a man of unwavering courage and determination and worked hard throughout his entire life. He loved creative writing and wrote daily. He won numerous awards for his writing over the years and was proud of everything he wrote. He always had a smile on his face and cheered up every room he entered. He had a strong wit and wonderful sense of humor and was always cracking jokes and telling stories. He loved reading, especially westerns, and was an avid jogger and exercised every day.

Edmund was a devout Catholic and believer in God. He was a faithful and loving father and husband for 67 years. Family was paramount to Edmund and so all relatives and friends are invited to his Visitation at 9:30AM at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 35 Old Eagle School Road, Stafford, PA followed by his Funeral Mass at 11 AM on Friday, May 19, 2023.  A private interment is scheduled later at Washington’s Crossing National Cemetery, Newtown, PA.

Edmund Robert Hercer donated over 100 gallons of blood in his lifetime and contributed to numerous charities. If you chose, in lieu of flowers, a donation to a charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated.

Edmund’s autobiography will be available at a future date.