Helga Marie Burger

Helga Marie Burger, born Helga Wettengel, 83, passed away peacefully on June 14, 2025, surrounded by those who loved her.

Helga was born on May 7, 1942, in Siedra (now in the Czech Republic) to Franziska and Herbert Wettengel. The eldest of three sisters, she grew up alongside her late sister Edith Wolf and her surviving sister Ilse Meiler.

Her sister Ilse remembers Helga as someone who was always cheerful and full of life. She was often heard humming or singing around the house, and her joyful presence had a way of lifting everyone’s spirits. That warmth and light stayed with her throughout her life.

At age 18, Helga came to the United States after receiving a plane ticket from her future husband, Henry Burger, whom she had met while working in a butcher shop in Germany. They had kept in touch through letters after he immigrated, and she bravely left everything behind to start a new life with him. The two were married when she was 19 and later welcomed their daughter, Heidi. Helga was a devoted mother who protected and cared for her daughter above all else.

Family was always at the center of Helga’s life. She gave endlessly to the people she loved and was the one everyone turned to in times of need. She especially cherished time spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who brought her immense joy. One of her favorite places was the family’s home in Pennsylvania, lovingly called "camp." It was where everyone gathered, including siblings, children, and cousins, and where so many family memories were made. Camp brought everyone together, and so did she.

Helga is survived by her daughter Heidi Burger; her granddaughter Nicole Peck and her children, Alexander, Lilliana, and Taylor; her grandson Matthew Schatzberg and his children, Grayson and Harlowe; and her sister Ilse Meiler. She was predeceased by her husband Henry Burger, her sister Edith Wolf, and her parents.

"Für immer in unserer Mitte, für immer in unserem Herzen."        Forever among us, forever in our hearts.

Services to be announced.