Erk A. Ketels, M.D., 88, passed away peacefully with family by his side on Tuesday, November 6th at home in Manheim Twp. He was born in Hamburg, Germany to the late Dr. med. Johann Erich and Gertrud Ketels. He was married to his loving wife, the late Elvira Jacqueline Ketels, for 36 years.

Erk completed his medical school at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. He came to the United States to practice medicine with encouragement from his uncle, Dr. med. Christian Friedrich Ketels of Manhattan. He completed rotating internships at Jersey City, NJ Medical Center and Lower Bucks County Hospital, Bristol, PA. He then completed his obstetrics and gynecology residency at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Mortimer Nelson, MD, then welcomed him into his thriving obstetrics and gynecology practice in Levittown PA. He practiced for many years in Bucks County, PA as a successful physician where he was loved and respected by his patients and the medical community.

Erk loved and lived for his family, spending his time with them, whether at home in Willingboro NJ, skiing in Lake Harmony, PA or down the shore in Beach Haven, NJ. He enjoyed following tennis and traveling the circuit up and down the East coast with Elvira. He would babysit his grandchildren any moment he could – driving from Willingboro to Lancaster to Martinsville in a memorized loop. He loved the outdoors, walking and biking as much as he could. Being "home" in Hamburg, Germany and his family's ancestral home on the North Frisian island of Föhr always made his heart full.

He is survived by his children: Dr. Erik and wife Elin of Lancaster, PA, Christina (Ketels) and husband Brett Della Volpe of Martinsville, NJ; his six beloved grandchildren: Katarina, Erich-Vincent, Jacqueline, Peter-Christian, Christian, & Isabella. He is also survived by sister, Ingke Ketels, and brother Hark Volkert Ketels, both of Hamburg, Germany. His extended family filled his life with joy: all of his nieces and nephews, Eike Heise, Ralph, Joseph, & Suzanne Touch & Valerie Welch. He is predeceased by his wife, his sister, Karin Heise, and his in-laws, Marguerite (Touch) & John F. Welch, and Filomena & Ralph Touch. He was always surrounded with love. They all miss him dearly.

Family and friends are invited to attend the memorial service and interment at Holy Innocents Parish in Beach Haven, NJ on December 2nd, 2018. Please contact Erik or Christina for further information. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Erk's memory by donating a day of hospice to a needy patient through "One Gift, One Day" www.hospiceconnect.org