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Leander Daniel Steigerwalt, Junior, has come home.
Just over the rise of the Ridge Cup in the rolling foothills of the Blue Mountain, Leander Daniel Steigerwalt, Junior was born at home on January 8, 1934 in West Penn Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Like all three of the Steigerwalt children (Jean Lydia—1931, Leander Daniel ,“Junior”—1934 and Curtis Charles—1938), his birth was a miracle. His hardworking and loving parents, Leander Daniel Steigerwalt, Senior of Weatherly, PA and Mabel (Mantz) Steigerwalt of West Penn Township, were told they couldn’t have children. After 18 years of marriage, Jean was born!
The 11-acre family “truck” farm, situated near Tamaqua, comprised the rich, wholesome and loving landscape of our father’s early life. He deeply loved his parents and knew he was loved by them. Of his childhood, he said, “We were poor, but we didn’t know it.” From all of our years of hearing Dad’s endearing stories of his childhood, his favorite memory was stopping for ice cream with his father on market days on the way home in their farm truck. He loved and respected his father so much that he would never have dared to ask to stop for his favorite treat, but he always hoped his father would suggest it. Dad spoke often and with great fondness of the many special times he had on the farm with his family.
As a child, Dad walked with his brother, sister and neighbors to the one-room schoolhouse known as “The Steigerwalt School”. There, without the luxury of electricity or running water, he completed grades 1-8 with math being his favorite subject. At age 86, Dad still remembered and reveled in manually calculating square roots—a unique skill he learned in that one room schoolhouse from his favorite teacher, Arthur Miller. After 8th grade he attended Tamaqua High School where he graduated valedictorian at age 17, following in the footsteps of his sister, Jean, who had also graduated valedictorian of her high school class.
From 1953-1956, our father enlisted in the United States Army. He served his country faithfully though it was a hard time in his life. After completing his military service, he attended Goldey Beacom Business School in Wilmington DE, where he graduated with an associates degree in accounting. It was there he met Maxine Luertzing of Vineland, NJ. They married in 1959 and raised their family in Vineland as well.
Dad worked most of his professional life as a cost accountant for Wheaton Glass Company in Millville, NJ. It was the ideal vocation for him. He loved numbers and math and kept exacting care for organizing almost anything, especially if it concerned bookkeeping. At home he was a model of financial stewardship and kept meticulous records. Even in very recent years Dad would create, calculate and update on a monthly basis detailed manual spreadsheets and records on many topics.
Our father had a sterling character, although he would have been the first to admit he was not perfect. Troubled with many health issues for much of his life, he was not an ambitious or accomplished man by the world’s definition. Yet, Dad espoused a wonderful lifestyle and character rare to our modern life for which we as his children so respect him. Dad was kind, gentle, humble, generous, available, simple and single-minded in loving devotion to the Lord and to his children and grandchildren. He always sought to tell the truth and do what was right. Honesty and integrity were hallmarks of his character. He delighted in all that was good and had a wonderfully witty, dry and engaging sense of humor. He didn’t hold grudges and saw the best in others. He made friends wherever he went. He was beautifully emotional and easily moved to tears. He lived his life out of a wonderful loving, sensitive and beautiful heart.
From childhood, our father had a deep and abiding love for God and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Growing up his family attended Zion’s Stone Church New Ringgold, PA. As an adult he attended and served in many capacities at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Vineland, NJ. He was privileged to attend two Billy Graham crusades and for many years, Dad volunteered as a phone counselor at the Crisis Hotline Center where he helped many people. Our father’s faith was strong and unwavering. He embraced the love God had for him and leaned upon this love. Psalm 91 brought him much strength during his time in the military and throughout his life. The Lord was his refuge and strength and in Him he found rest in Jesus’ everlasting arms. Dad took shelter under the Lord’s wings throughout the course of his long and challenging life.
For his final homecoming, our father went to be with his Lord on May 5, 2020. He is survived by his son, Daniel Steigerwalt; two daughters, Karen (Brad) Smith and Lisa Steigerwalt; three grandchildren, Dana (Aaron) Pendleton, Lauren Steigerwalt and Kathryn Smith, and his great-granddaughter, Lily Pendleton, all of Massachusetts. He is also survived by his brother, Curtis Steigerwalt of New Ringgold, PA. His sister, Jean Ogozalek predeceased him on July 12, 2019. All of his nieces, nephews, relatives and friends will miss him dearly.
On behalf of our father, we would like to thank Dad’s healthcare community who wonderfully cared for him over many years. Dad so enjoyed where he lived and made many friends with the staff and residents alike. We are particularly grateful for the healthcare team who selflessly cared for him during his last few weeks as he struggled to recover from the COVID-19 virus. Although we were not able to be with him, all of you cared for him in our place and we are deeply appreciative.
We pray that in some way, this brief sketch of Dad’s life will touch and inspire yours. We deeply miss our father and although we are now separated, we look forward with great anticipation to being reunited with him in heaven.
A graveside family service, with military honors, took place at Zion’s Stone Church’s cemetery in May, where Dad’s parents and grandparents are also laid to rest. A worship and celebration of life service will be planned at Zion’s Stone Church at a future date.
“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him,
With a long life I will satisfy him,
And let him behold My salvation.”
Psalm 91:14-16
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