Betty Meier Steeley

Betty Meier Steeley, 73, of Sellersville, died Wednesday evening, Jan. 10, 2001, after a long illness, in Grand View Hospital, West Rockhill Township. She was the widow of the late Sellersville civic leader, William E. Steeley, who died in 1958.

Born in Mountaintop (Luzerne County), she was a daughter of the late Albert E. and Gertrude (Guenther) Meier. She moved to Sellersville with her family in 1948 when her father established The Meier Home for Funerals.

A licensed Pennsylvania funeral director for 52 years, she was the owner of the Betty Meier Steeley Funeral Home, Sellersville for 22 years, having purchased her father's funeral home upon his death in 1978. The funeral home, now owned by her son, James, is in its 53rd year of operation.

A graduate of the former H. E. Dolan College of Mortuary Science, Philadelphia, Mrs. Steeley was one of the earlier women to become a licensed funeral director in Pennsylvania. She worked with her father to create the first father-daughter team of funeral directors in this area. In 1999, she then established the only local mother-son funeral director team. She was a past president of the Eastern Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association (EPFDA), located in the Lehigh Valley. Elected in 1984, she was the first woman to serve as president of EPFDA.

Upon the death of her husband, Mrs. Steeley began working as a Dutchmaid Fashions home demonstrator, in addition to working with her father. She continued with Dutchmaid until the company went out of business in 1985. In the late 1940’s and early l950’s, Mrs. Steeley had been employed by the former Sunlite Shop, Souderton and was one of the original eight employees of the former Lemmon Pharmaceutical Company, Sellersville, now known as TEVA Pharmaceutical.

She had been an active member of St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Perkasie for over 46 years, where she taught Sunday School and weekday Church School, and was a 44-year member of the Senior Choir. She was also a member of the Church Council, serving as chairperson of the Worship and Music Committee; and had been a longtime pianist for the Augsburg Sunday School Class.

An accomplished musician, she was a past member and soloist with the Pennridge Cluster Choir and the former North Penn Chorus.

Mrs. Steeley was a charter member of the former Pennridge Business and Professional Women's Club. She was a past director of both the Pennridge and Sellersville chambers of commerce.

She had served on the Advisory Board of the Pennridge Senior Citizen Center for 17 years and was a member of the Woman's Club of Perkasie and the Sellersville Women of the Moose.

Mrs. Steeley had been an active member of the Sellersville Fire Department Auxiliary in the 1950’s and recently was a volunteer for the 1999 and 2000 Sellersville carnivals and Sellersville Days celebrations. She was also the pianist for the former Sellersville Kiwanis Club for over 35 years.

She was a member of the National, Pennsylvania and Eastern Pennsylvania funeral directors’ associations.

In 1999, Mrs. Steeley's 50th year of being a licensed funeral director, she was honored by the Sellersville Chamber of Commerce and Sellersville Borough; the Pennsylvania Funeral Director's Association and the Eastern Pennsylvania Funeral Director's Association. She was also the recipient of the Pennridge Chamber of Commerce's Frank Kulp Memorial Award in October 1999, for being a "true pioneer and inspiration for those who desire to achieve personal goals in their chosen field of endeavor."

Mrs. Steeley was a devoted mother, whose sense of servitude to others was unrivaled. A woman of great faith, she overcame many challenges in life. She was able to turn disappointments and setbacks into blessings. Her useful, quiet and kind deeds will be remembered by many. The community has lost a gentle leader.

She is survived by a son, James D. Steeley, of Sellersville; a step-daughter, Patricia S. Wolfinger, of Lakeside, Mont.; a step-son, William B. Steeley, and his wife Marie, of Telford; three step-granddaughters; two step-grandsons; a sister, Mary M. Leight, wife of Dr. Robert L., of Quakertown; five nieces and five nephews.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, George A. C. Meier, who died in 1984.

Funeral services were held Monday, Jan. 15, in St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Perkasie. Interment was in St. Andrew's Union Cemetery, Perkasie.

Memorial contributions in her name may be made to St. Andrew's Evangelical Lutheran Church Organ Fund, PO Box 257, Perkasie, Pa. 18944.