Flag Day, 1952. An oral maxillofacial surgeon and a nurse return to the south side of Scranton to profess their wedding vows at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, their home parish. If “having a lot in common” is any indication of a marriage’s future success, then the couple clearly has nothing to worry about: in addition to their mutual points of origin, religious beliefs, chosen vocations in healthcare, and Catholic educations, they also share the distinction of having served their country. Their names are Paul P. Biedlingmaier, D.D.S., and Romaine Lenherr Biedlingmaier, and their union will eventually produce four children (Amy Biedlingmaier Brown (Marywood University Class of 1975), Paul Biedlingmaier Jr. ’76, Mark Biedlingmaier ’80, G’80, and the late Ronnie Biedlingmaier), five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and an everlasting legacy of opportunity at The University of Scranton.
How do you honor the people who made your life possible, who gave you “the tools of the trade,” as Paul Sr. often put it, you needed to succeed? That was the question Amy, Paul Jr. and Mark faced after losing Romaine in 2024 some 31 years after the family lost Paul Sr. Seeking to honor their parents’ appreciation for the power of a Scranton education, they created The Biedlingmaier Family Scholarship/Endowment, an award that will benefit first-generation University students majoring in nursing or on the pre-med track.
“I can’t think of a better way to honor mom and dad than by paying it forward,” said Amy, a former medical records administrator and educator who currently serves as the funeral coordinator at St. Ignatius Loyola Parish in Reading.
“Their appreciation for education, what they had given us, much of it centered around the University,” said Mark, a recently re-retired member of the State Department who worked his way up in government service from a clerk typist to acting ambassador.
“We would hope, to borrow a Scranton phrase, that after four years, this recipient goes forth and does set the world on fire,” said Paul Jr., a former VA hospital administrator and current partner/financial advisor at Edward Jones Investments.
When the siblings were growing up in Easton, Paul Sr. was fond of saying, “Work hard, and the rest will follow.” The son of Dr. Ferdinand Biedlingmaier of The University of Scranton/St. Thomas College Class of 1912, a dentist who served the Scranton community in his south side office for more than 60 years, Paul began studying at The University of Scranton in 1942 before enlisting in the U.S. Army.
He then earned his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine and served in both the U.S. Army and Navy as an oral maxillofacial surgeon. After he and Romaine married, he served on the faculty of the Medical College of Virginia before establishing a private practice in Easton, where he provided exceptional patient care for 35 years.
Romaine followed the same motto, studying nursing at the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing and joining the U.S. Navy Cadet Nurse Corps during World War II. After the war, she worked as the head nurse of the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. After the wedding, she provided nursing support for Paul Sr.’s oral surgery practice, and her children attested to the “extraordinary acts of kindness and charity” she and Paul Sr. routinely performed. Over the decades, she served as president of the Altar and Rosary Society and the Parochial School Library program of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church (Our Lady of Mercy) and as a member of the Easton Hospital Junior Auxiliary, the Children’s Home of Easton, the Pomfret Club and the URW Women’s Club.
Thanks to the legacy of Paul Sr. and Romaine and the generosity of Amy, Paul and Mark, future Royals will have the opportunity to learn “the tools of the trade” of healthcare, a priceless gift that will serve them and their patients for decades to come.
When asked if they have any advice for future Biedlingmaier scholars, the siblings all shared a few words of wisdom.
“Work hard and pay it forward yourself,” said Amy.
“‘To whom much is given, much is expected’” said Paul Jr., quoting the Gospel of St. Luke. “Make us proud and our family proud."
“Do good things in life, and life gives back to you in return,” said Mark. “Each day, go into your studies and then your professional life with passion, and you’ll be rewarded.”
