Obituaries

Former Moorestown Hardware Owner Was 'A Real Gem'

Edward Holweger, who owned McChesney's and Moorestown Hardware for roughly 40 years, died this past weekend.

A pillar of the Moorestown business community for more than 40 years, the late Edward H. Holweger was remembered by those who knew him as a great man, both personally and professionally.

Holweger, the former owner of McChesney’s Hardware and Moorestown Hardware, passed away Saturday, Jan. 12, at the age of 92.

Current Moorestown Hardware owner Pete Bender, who bought the business from Holweger in 2001, said he was “just really a wonderful, wonderful human being in every way … Ed was one of those people who reminded you of how life used to be, as far as his trusting of people. His ways were so friendly and genuine.”

Holweger and his brother, Wilbur, bought McChesney’s Hardware around 1959, according to Bender, when it was still on Main Street in the former Moorestown Trust Company building (where Starbucks is now, and where Primo Hoagies soon will be). They moved the business to the old Collings Lumber Yard complex on Mill Street in 1972.

Bender said the first hammer he ever owned came from McChesney’s; his father bought it for him when he was 8—from Holweger.

Dave Ramsay, the eponymous owner of David Ramsay Cabinetmakers, rented space at the Collings Lumber Yard complex from Holweger for roughly 20 years, before he purchased the property from him in 2001.

Ramsay said Holweger was best described as “a quiet hard worker” who occasionally told corny jokes.

“He knew all of his customers very well,” said Ramsay. “He was just a nice guy.”

Holweger continued to work at Moorestown Hardware up until a few months ago, coming in every day to take care of the business’s deposits, Bender said.

“He was great to have around … just because of who he was,” he said. “He was a real gem in my life.”

A funeral service for Holweger will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Chapel of the Evergreens, 309 Bridgeboro Road, Moorestown. Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Park, Somerton, PA.

In lieu of flowers, send memorial contributions to the Calvary Lutheran Church, 3 Eayerstown Road, Medford, NJ 08055.

Condolences may be left at www.lewisfuneralhomemoorestown.com.


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