The young father slowly drove down his street, dreading the moment he'd have to tell his wife the news he'd lost his job. As he turned into his driveway, the kids came charging from the backyard, elated to see him home early. They were growing like weeds, he reflected grimly, and would need new clothes when school started in a few months.

Somehow, two weeks later, a dozen or so boxes appeared on their porch. Inside the boxes were used children's clothes, washed and ironed, in the proper sizes."She always found out somehow when someone needed help, and she'd start making calls," said Linda DeCindio, a former supervisor, speaking of Mary Bubel. Bubel passed away last week; she'd been the Schuylkill Township secretary and treasurer for 17 years. "All over the township, people would be up in their attics, going through clothes. She'd never say who it was for, and the person would never know who gave them the things.""She wasn't just the secretary," DeCindio said. "There wasn't anything in the world she wouldn't have done for somebody in need of help."Bubel, 73, Brockton, was born in Pottsville. She was a 1959 graduate of Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville, and also worked as the office manager for Brockton Sportswear and State Manufacturing, New Philadelphia. She was married for 52 years to Robert J. Bubel. She is also survived by a sister, Alma Lonergan and husband Daniel, Millville, New Jersey; and a son Peter and wife Anita, and grandchildren Nina and Alyssa, Reading.DeCindio described Bubel as persistent and told a story about her desire to have American flags hanging on both sides of Valley Street. But Bubel's plans hit a snag when she was told by local Verizon officials that the township couldn't use their poles, which lined one side of the street.Bubel didn't stop until she was talking to the vice president of Verizon in Chicago. Soon she had gotten the OK to use the Verizon poles to hang the flags."I could talk for a long time about all the wonderful work and things that she did," DeCindio said. "She'd hear about a child in the hospital, or somebody sick, and bingo! I don't think there was a person in the township who didn't get a card from her or have a prayer said for them by her."Supervisors' Chairman Charles Hosler said that Bubel was a tremendous asset to the township and its people."She had a way of persuading people to do things," Hosler said. "She really knew her job, inside and out."Hosler said that Bubel was instrumental in obtaining a $500,000 grant for water lines in Tuscarora. The township had applied for the grant monies in 2011. In order to get the grant, each household in Tuscarora had to be surveyed to determine eligibility for the funding, a daunting task taken on by Bubel and DeCindio. Hosler also said that since 1997, Bubel had achieved a 100 percent collection rate on the township's garbage bills.Supervisor Christine Verdier said that Bubel will be sorely missed, both as a township employee and resident."Mary was our lifeblood, the one who knew everybody, and everybody knew her," Verdier said. "She was very respected and very loved."