Leonard F. Garbrecht

Leonard F. Garbrecht was born in Palmyra, New Jersey on September 13, 1910. He was the third child of Frederick L. Garbrecht Sr. and his wife Annie, coming after sister Eulalia and brother Fred Jr. By 1914 the family had moved to 2614 Federal Street in East Camden. The family was still residing at the Federal Street address in August of 1918 when older brother Frederick Jr., then a riveter at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard, registered for the draft. Sadly, Frederick Garbrecht Sr. passed away before January of 1920. The family was still at 2614 Federal Street at that time.

By 1924 the Garbrechts had moved to 2213 Federal Street. Annie Garbrecht ran a boardinghouse there, and older brother Frederick Jr. had been appointed to the Camden Police Department, where he served well into the 1930s. Sister Eulalia had married Camden police officer Edwin Mills; they lived across the street at 2214 Federal. By 1927 Frederick Garbrecht Jr. soon married and set up a home of his own at 1149 North 36th Street in Cramer Hill. That year’s City Directory shows Annie Garbrecht had set up a hair salon at 4 North 27th Street, next to the Boulevard Grille and across the street from the East Camden firehouse. This not being the best of locations perhaps for that particular line of business, she and Leonard Garbrecht were no longer there by 1929.

The 1929 City Directory shows Mrs. Garbrecht and her son at 2627 Cramer Street in East Camden. By April of 1930 they had moved to 482 Boyd Street. Leonard Garbrecht worked a variety of jobs in these years, as a plumber’s helper and at a gas station.

The 1940 City Directory lists Leonard and Frederick Garbrecht at 3255 Rowe Street in East Camden.

Leonard Garbrecht was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on June 12, 1941 and reported for duty with Engine Company 10 on Morgan Boulevard four days later. He appears to have briefly lived at 19 Kendall Boulevard in Oaklyn, New Jersey with his wife Rita, as he is listed twice in 1947’s City Directory, once at this address and again in Camden. The 1947 Camden City Directory also shows Leonard Garbrecht living at 3253 Rowe Street in East Camden. Brother Frederick Garbrecht Jr. was still residing next door at 3255 Rowe Street. Leonard Garbrecht was promoted to Captain and assigned to Engine Company 1 at 409 Pine Street on November 30, 1953. On June 17, 1954 Captain Garbrecht was reassigned once again, this time to Engine Company 11 on North 27th Street in Cramer Hill.

On December 1, 1955 Captain Garbrecht left the Fire Department on a disability pension. He was reinstated on March 2, 1957 and returned to service with Engine Company 2. 1958 saw temporary assignments to Ladder Company 3 in East Camden on January 18 followed by a return to Engine Company 2 on February 27. A week later, on March 4, 1958 Captain Garbrecht was assigned to Engine Company 3 at 1815 Broadway, where he served until retiring once again on disability on January 15, 1960. The 1959 New Jersey Bell Telephone Directory and Camden Fire department records show that Leonard F. Garbrecht had moved to 1621 Olympia Road in Fairview.

By the fall of 1969 Leonard Garbrecht had moved to Oaklyn, New Jersey. Older brother Frederick had moved to Woodbury, New Jersey; he died in 1971. Leonard Garbrecht died on January 23, 2000 and was survived by his wife Rita, three children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Three hosemen were promoted to the rank of fire department captain today by Public Safety Commissioner E. George Aaron.

Aaron also announced the appointment of six new firemen and two new policemen.

Thomas E. McParland, 1617 Euclid Avenue, of No. 6 Engine Co.; Leonard F. Garbrecht, 5 Court G, Canterbury Apartments, of No. 10 Engine Co.; and Louis J. Martelli, 569 Line Street, of No. 8 Engine Co., were promoted to captaincies in the Fire Department.

The new firemen are Henry J. Keating, 3316 Lemuel Avenue, transferred from the Police Department; Thomas J. McCabe, 385 Garden Avenue; Orville Goldsboro, 293 Liberty Street; Carmen Ianelli, 310 Berkley Street; Michael Panelli, 802 South 6th Street, and Harrison W. MacNeir, 29 South 35th Street.

The new policemen are Michael A. R. Gimino, 925 North 22nd Street, and Vincent J. Wall, 12 Court H, Canterbury Apartments.

Name: Leonard F. Garbrecht. Company: #3. Platoon No. 2. Title: Captain. Tel.: Wo.4-2244. Address: 1621 Olympia Rd. Born at: Palmyra, N.J., September 13, 1910. Appointed: June 12, 1941. Reported for duty: June 16, 1941.

Positions qualified: Acting Captain, Driver, Pump Operator, Tillerman.

Assignments: June 16, 1941 — Engine Co. No. 10. Promoted to Captain, assigned Engine Co. No. 1, November 30, 1953. Transferred to Engine Co. No. 11, June 17, 1954. Disability pension, December 1, 1955. Reinstated, March 1, 1957 — Engine Co. No. 2. Transferred to Ladder Co. No. 3, January 18, 1958. Trans. to Engine Co. No. 2, February 27, 1958. Trans. to Engine Co. No. 3, March 4, 1958. Retired on disability pension, January 15, 1960. Deceased January 23, 2000.

On January 23, 2000, Leonard F. of Oaklyn, NJ. Age 89 years. Beloved husband of Rita D. (nee Murtha). Dear father of Leonard Garbrecht, Ann O’Connell and Frederick Garbrecht. Also survived by 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. Mr. Garbrecht joined the Camden Fire Dept. in June of 1941 and retired a Captain in 1960. He was the last remaining captain of that era. He was also a charter member of the Camden City Firefighters Local #788. Relatives and friends are invited to meet Wednesday from 11:00 to 12:00 noon at The Creran Funeral Home, 400 White Horse Pike, Oaklyn. A memorial service will be held at 12:00 noon. There is no evening viewing. In lieu of flowers the family has requested memorial contributions be made to the Animal Welfare Assoc., 509 Centennial Blvd., Voorhees Twp., NJ 08043.

(nee Murtha), on December 8, 2001, of Oaklyn, NJ. Age 85 years. Beloved wife of the late Leonard F. Loving mother of Ann O’Connell, Frederick and Leonard Garbrecht. Dear grandmother of 7 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Relatives and friends are invited to meet Wednesday from 11:00 to 12:00 noon at The Creran Funeral Home, 400 White Horse Pike, Oaklyn, NJ. Funeral services will be held 12:00 noon. Interment Calvary Cemetery, Cherry Hill. There will be no evening viewing. In lieu of flowers family requests memorial donations be made to either the American Lung Assoc. of NJ, 1600 Rt. 22 East, Union, NJ 07083, or the American Cancer Society, 1851 Old Cuthbert Rd., Cherry Hill, NJ 08034, or the Friends of Alexander Deihl, 406 Laurel Lane, Wallingford, PA 19086.