James Burghard

James Burghard Sr., 72, of Chambersburg, PA, died Saturday morning, April 28, 2012 in the Chambersburg Hospital. Born May 9, 1939 in Jersey City, New Jersey, he was a son of the late Clement and Stella Key Burghard. A US Army veteran, he met his wife in 1959 in Saumur, France while serving in the military. A computer programmer, Jim had worked for six years in Germany and three years in California, prior to working at Letterkenny Army Depot. After working as a software programmer for the US Army in Europe, he returned to the Unites States and accepted a job at the US Army Material Command Logistics System Support Center located at Letterkenny Army Depot.
He became a team leader of a system design team that developed mainframe software for the US Army and other Department Of Defense installations all around the world. Jim was known for his innovative and revolutionary thinking, leadership, and systems designs. He retired from LSSA in 1988. He was also instrumental in the formation of Boy Scout Troop 138 in April of 1974. Being the first Scout Master for Troop 138 he was very creative in fund raising with sales of Christmas wreaths created from computer punch cards painted in his back yard. Troop 138 sold hundreds of wreaths over 3 years at Nichols, Bon-Ton and K-mart. The wreaths were still seen throughout Chambersburg 10 years later. Jim also started Main Street Tax Service on the corner of Queen and Main Street. The company is still in operation and has been serving Chambersburg for over 22 years. He was a member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church, the Scottish Rite Club of Harrisburg and a member of Mercersburg Sportsman’s Association. Other accomplishments include Past Master Councilor of DeMolay and he was an Enrolled Agent.

He is survived by his wife, Georgette Brunet Burghard, whom he married September 5, 1962; two sons, Bernard Burghard and wife Amy and James Burghard, Jr. and wife Nancy; as well as four grandchildren, Ryan Knox, Dean Burghard, Sean Burghard, and James C. Burghard, all of Chambersburg. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three sisters.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30 AM Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 320 Philadelphia Avenue, Chambersburg, PA. Rev. James O’Brien will officiate. Interment with military honors by members of Charles Nitterhouse Post 1599 VFW Honor Guard will follow at Corpus Christi Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 PM Tuesday at Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 333 Falling Spring Road, Chambersburg, PA.