Rev. Joseph W. Seitz

RED LION The Rev. Joseph W. Seitz, 82, passed away Tuesday, December 28, 2010 at York Hospital. He was the husband of the late Rev. Bonnie H. Seitz, to whom he was married for 53 years.A celebration of life tribute service will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, December 31, 2010 at Grace Lutheran Church, 220 N. Charles Street, Red Lion with The Rev. Anne-Rose Reeves officiating. Viewings will be held from 6-9:00 PM Thursday at Life Tributes by Olewiler & Heffner Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc., 35 Gotham Place, Red Lion and from 9:30-11:00 AM Friday at the church. Burial will be in St. Pauls Lebanon Lutheran Cemetery.Born August 15, 1928 in Felton to the late Michael Ervin and Ruth Lutz Seitz, he was a 1946 graduate of Red Lion High School, 1950 graduate of Millersville University and was a teacher and guidance counselor for a few years in Spring Grove School District. Rev. Seitz received an M.Div from Gettysburg Seminary and did further graduate studies at Penn State University and Philadelphia Seminary. He served St. Luke and St. James Churches near Chanceford Twp., St. Paul in York, St. Paul in Spring Grove, and retired after 12 years as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Red Lion. Following his retirement, he served as interim pastor to St. James and St. John (Sadlers) Lutheran Churches. Rev. Seitz was a member of Grace Lutheran Church where he sang in the church choir. He also served on the Lutheran Social Services Board. He was a US Army veteran having served in the 7th Armored Calvary during the Korean War.Rev. Seitz is survived by a son, Stephen Seitz and wife Sandra Eisenhart-Seitz of Red Lion; two daughters, Ann Seitz-Brown and husband the Rev. Timothy Seitz-Brown of Spring Grove and Mary Mamet of Hanover; eight grandchildren, C.J., Marybeth, Jeremy, Lauren and husband Ryan, Hunter, Hannah, Abigail, and Krista; a great granddaughter, Pyper; two brothers in law, Donald Grove and Verlyn McCleary; a sister in law, Marie Seitz; his late wife Bonnies sister, Ann Myers, Bonnies brother, William Hall, and her sister in law Ruth Hall. Pastor Seitz was preceded in death by two brothers, Carl Seitz and Clyde and wife Ferne Seitz; five sisters, Evelyn and husband George Stein, Ada and husband Elmer Crowl, Hilda McCleary, Yetta Grove, Mina and husband Dean Hersey.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Grace Lutheran Church, Red Lion, designated for Lutheran Social Services or the ELCA World Hunger Appeal.