Winter 2015
|
TOWER
23
Martha Hafer ’02: Finishing What She Started
had a degree from KU — an honorary juris doctorate in recognition
of his outstanding contributions to the community. A fortuitous
conversation with Dr. David McFarland, president of KU from 1988 —
2002, changed her life. Over dinner, Hafer mentioned that she
hadn't finished her bachelor’s degree. McFarland offered to review
her transcripts, and he realized that all she needed in order to grad-
uate was one upper level course. So, almost half a century later,
Hafer found herself an undergraduate once again. But this time,
things were a bit different.
“It was really difficult,” she laughed. “I hadn’t been to school in
40 years! But I loved psychology, so I took the course, thinking it
would be easy. It was a sociology course with DR. CAROLE WELLS
M ’91. She was tough — really tough! The interaction I had with the
other students was terrific, because I had a totally different per-
spective, having already raised a family.”
Hafer has done extensive fundraising in the Reading area.
In addition to co-chairing the 1996 United Way campaign, she
also served on the boards of several organizations, including the
Olivet Boys and Girls Club; the Opportunity House; and Berks
TALKLINE. At KU, Hafer and her husband co-chaired the Berks
County portion of the capital campaign for the Sharadin Arts
Building, and she was honorary co-chair of the capital campaign for
Schaeffer Auditorium. “I consider it my responsibility to help those
less fortunate in gratitude for my own good fortune.”
In 2002, more than 40 years after beginning her college education,
MARTHA (GARTNER) HAFER ’02
came back to Kutztown
to finish her degree.
“I returned to KU when I was already a grandmother, because
I always regretted not finishing,” she divulged. “I didn’t have a lot
of money, and other people sacrificed so that I could go to
college. My sons all attended college; one returned to complete his
degree as an adult. I hope I inspired him to do so.”
Hafer began as an elementary education major, after transferring
to what was then Kutztown State College in her sophomore year.
But in her junior year, she got married, and the year after, left
Kutztown to support her husband in his career, which moved them
to New Jersey. Still, she had no regrets. For Fred and Martha Hafer,
it was love at first sight.
She was a junior at Wyomissing High School. He was a senior
at West Reading High School. Their eyes met across a crowded
gymnasium floor when West Reading com-
peted in a district playoff game at Albright
College. Later, a mutual friend made the
crucial introduction. The rest was history.
Fred Hafer’s meteoric rise from a mailroom
clerk to, eventually, chairman, president
and chief executive of GPU Inc., meant that
Martha Hafer's role as wife, mother and
community volunteer was indispensable. And, of all her accomplish-
ments, her family is still the one she is most proud of.
“My husband and I enjoyed a great marriage for 44 years,
before he passed away,” Hafer said. “My sons are a great pride
to me — they had a good role model.”
But something was missing. FRED HAFER JR. ’86, her oldest
son, had earned his degree in physics from KU. Her younger son,
CRAIG HAFER M ’00, had an MBA from KU. Even Fred Hafer Sr.
“I consider it my
responsibility
to help those less
fortunate in gratitude for my own
good
fortune
.”
—MARTHA (GARTNER) HAFER ’02
