Edward William Botchie, of Chambersburg, Pa., entered into eternal rest with his loving family by his side on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. He fought a courageous battle with brain cancer for nine months.
Ed was born on August 17, 1951, in Enhaut, Pa., the son of Joseph and Helen (Ferrance) Botchie. He attended Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, known as “St. Mary’s,” in Steelton, and went to the parish school and served as an altar boy. He graduated from Bishop McDevitt High School in 1969, then studied at Penn State, first at the Mont Alto campus and then University Park.
His first job was in retail, at Town and Country in Harrisburg, where he eventually met his wife. He moved to the Chambersburg Town and Country store as assistant manager and remained in that position when Mason’s took over the location. In the late 1970s, he moved into the trucking industry, where he spent the rest of his career. He became a dispatcher at Horn’s Motor Express in Chambersburg. In 1982, he began working at Cressler Trucking, Inc., in Shippensburg, eventually becoming general manager and vice president, building a respected career in the trucking industry. Over the next 29 years, his dedication to the profession extended beyond his work, serving on the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association board of directors, the Pennsylvania Governor’s Motor Carrier Advisory Council, a member of the American Trucking Associations, and the Shippensburg University John L. Grove Business School advisory committee. For more than 20 years, he was also an executive judge for Susquehanna University’s Business Awareness presentations. After his retirement from Cressler Trucking, he worked at Shively Motors of Shippensburg, first in the parts department, and later as service manager.
A faithful and devoted member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Ed generously shared his time and talents as an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, and in various ministries such as the parish pastoral council, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Perpetual Adoration Chapel, prison ministry, collection counting, and the car show committee. He was the “bus driver” for the parish youth group in the 1990s and helped lead workcamp trips to Alderson, West Virginia, and Juneau and Hoonah, Alaska. His faith was a guiding force throughout his life and was reflected in his service to others.
Ed's greatest joy was his family. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend whose steady presence, kindness, and unwavering support touched all who knew him. He was his daughters’ and granddaughters’ biggest fan and attended almost every game. He also became a favorite chaperone for Corpus Christi Catholic School field trips, and his favorites were accompanying his granddaughters’ classes on the farm field trips.
Ed was a proud Mopar enthusiast. He rarely passed up a chance to talk cars and spent many happy hours working on his own cars, plus organizing and attending car shows. He still proudly owned the first three cars he ever bought: two 1952 Plymouth Cranbrooks, and a 1972 Plymouth Duster, the first car he ever bought brand-new. He meticulously restored one of the 1952 Cranbrooks, the “Blue Iggy,” and the Duster, both of which won National Chrysler Products Club National Meet Best of Show awards. He served many roles in NCPC, from president to treasurer to membership director to newsletter editor, and as National Meet host, often taking on multiple roles at once. He could identify pretty much any car from just a photo or even a few details.
Preceding Ed in death were his beloved parents, aunts and uncles, and his father-in-law, Edward Lombardi, who always told everyone that “if you look up ‘perfect son-in-law’ in the dictionary, you’ll find a picture of Ed Botchie.”
He is survived by his devoted wife of 50 years, Nita (Lombardi), and his daughters, Jennifer (Joseph) Deinlein of Fayetteville, and Andrea, of Chambersburg; granddaughters Sophie and Annabelle Deinlein, sister Kathleen Kaskiel of Lebanon, brothers Joseph (Margie), and Jerome (Karen), all of Mechanicsburg, several nieces and nephews, and cousins.
The family is extremely grateful to all who provided care to Ed throughout his cancer journey at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital, especially the nurses and therapists who gave him such kind and loving care.
Ed was the best husband, the best father, the best “Papa,” and the best friend. In his honor, go for a walk or a hike, eat some ice cream, or take a drive down a back road in your favorite car with some good music playing.
Though he will be deeply missed, his gentle spirit, steadfast faith, and the love he gave so freely will continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home, 333 Falling Spring Road, Chambersburg. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Very Rev. Luis Rodriguez at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 320 Philadelphia Avenue, Chambersburg. Interment will follow in St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Corpus Christi Catholic School or the St. Vincent de Paul Society.
Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at Geisel Funeral Home.
