Alburtis Mayor Robert Mader went to sleep Sunday night unaware it was his final day of a lifetime of service to those he loved in the borough.

Mader died Oct. 22 at his home.

Retiring in 2000, Mader, 77, lived his days filled with service to others.

Mader was elected to his third term on council in 2007, and elected mayor in 2009 following his appointment to replace Russell Afflerbach, who resigned. Mader enjoyed this position. He once said he liked to perform weddings and give reports at council meetings, but admitted being a little nervous when asked to give a speech at SteelStacks in Bethlehem recently.

Mader served on many committees, including the Centennial Committee helping to plan the 2013 borough event. He went to numerous meetings representing the borough.

He was always somewhere in service to the borough. Mader especially enjoyed working with the police department and Chief Robert Palmer.

"He was a great man," Palmer said. "It was an absolute honor and pleasure to work with him. He was just a great guy. He was absolutely perfect as a mayor for the Borough of Alburtis."

Stopping in to have coffee with Borough Secretary Sharon Trexler in the office at Borough Hall was a daily event for Mader. When Trexler had off, Mader always filled in for the day at Borough Hall.

"I have known Bob for many, many - close to 30 years," Trexler said. "He was just a wonderful man. He cared passionately about this borough. I'm going to miss my morning coffee with him. He stopped in every day. He always filled in. He was the back up for the personnel here. I'm just going to miss him so much. He was a wonderful personal friend."

Living across from Alburtis Area Community Center was the perfect residence for Mader and his wife Shirley. He could see what was happening from his front porch or looking out a window. AACC Volunteer Sherry Oels, spoke of all the work Mader did for the center and at the fire department.

"I worked with him at the community center," Oels said. "He was my right hand man. Even when there was a rental there he would keep a look out. If a light was left on he would turn it off and let me know. If there was a rainstorm he got the tractor out and made the parking lot smooth again. He was the only one who could start the old Ferguson tractor. My kids knew him when they saw him coming. He cared so much about this town. I'm losing my right hand man."

Oels said Mader was originally from the Finger Lakes in New York and when she told him she and her family were going to vacation there he was happy to tell her all about the place.

Prior to his election as mayor, Mader was a member of council and served the people as a firefighter for 38 years, six years in New Jersey and 32 years in Alburtis with five years as Alburtis fire chief. Mader mentored many firefighters and fire police and some firefighters commented he was the reason they decided to volunteer. He was always trying to get volunteers.

Firefighters were gathered at the firehouse all day Oct. 22. Food was being brought in for everyone as they mourned their loss, many weeping openly as friends and visiting firefighters came and went.

Fire Chief Donald Smith Jr. was making phone calls for final arrangements as his crew gathered in the firehouse. "We have to stick together as a family right now." Smith said to members of his crew.

"He was my mentor on the fire crew," Safety Officer Nan Perna said. "Twenty-nine years I worked with him. He took me under his wing. He was a man everybody should have been so lucky to be able to work with. Such a man, he will be missed."

Assistant Fire Chief Randy Trexler said Mader will be truly missed. "He was one of the family."

"He was definitely a father to us all," Firefighter Brandon Lindenmuth said.

"He was one of the greatest men ever," Firefighter Ashley Alesczyk said.

When he retired as chief, Mader continued serving as Alburtis fire police chief and mayor, but only those closest to him knew the vast scope of his service in the community. As are all fire police, he was on call 24-7. The general feeling of those who knew and worked with Mader is the borough will not be the same, things will change and he will be missed as he did so much.

"I really respected that man," Councilperson Kathleen Palmer said. "When you think about it, we lost a time capsule. He knew everything. Honestly, it's such a loss for us. It's a big loss for the borough. You lose a friend, you lose the mayor. You lost part of your family."

Palmer said Mader had worked at Brown Printing in East Greenville with her two brothers.

The viewing will be held 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at Alburtis Fire House. The funeral will be at The Church of the Good Shepherd in Alburtis 10 a.m. Oct. 31, however this is subject to change.

The Alburtis Borough Council meeting for Oct. 29 has been cancelled and the flag is at half-staff. The fire house and trucks are draped in black.

The Borough of Alburtis is in mourning for their beloved Mayor Robert Mader.