Obituary for Jeanette M. Leathead (Stoelting)
Jeanette May Leathead, 93, of New Holland, formerly of Horsham, died suddenly Sunday, June 16, 2019, at WellSpan Ephrata Community Hospital, with most of her family at her bedside. She is predeceased by her husband Dale E. Leathead, on Dec. 4, 2017, and son, Douglas John, in 1995.
Jeanette was born in Butler, SD, where her father, a farmer, died shortly after her birth. She was the only daughter of the late Frederick and Lydia (Lutter) Stoelting. She was overjoyed with the birth of her step-brother, the late Richard Wellington, just after her 9th birthday.
Jeanette grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she joined Liberty Lutheran Church and was called into full-time service for God. She sailed for India as a single lady in 1951 with World Mission Prayer League, where she was a missionary for 18 years in India and Nepal. There she married her husband Dale in 1953. After 17 years overseas (1951-1968), and 5 children later, the family moved to Michigan, Dale’s home, and later to the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania. They retired at Garden Spot Village in New Holland in 1997, where they lived the longest of any home their married lives – almost 22 years. They were members of Christian Fellowship Church in New Holland.
She enjoyed reading, games, dogs, handicrafts, shopping, hospitality, and grand- and great-grandchildren – not necessarily in that order.
Surviving are four children, Norma Jean, married to Trevor Douglas, Gordon James, married to Yvonne Leathead, Stuart Jay Leathead, and Cynthia Joy, married to Andrew Kerstetter. She had 7 grandchildren – Mary (Leathead) & Chris McCleary, Chris & Kelly Kerstetter, Heather (Douglas) & Jason Crocker, Mike & Kristin Kerstetter, Kristy (Douglas) & Jim Godwin, Becca Kerstetter, and Joel Douglas (engaged to Katie) – and 2 great-grandchildren, Alice & Carter McCleary.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 21, at 2 pm at Garden Spot Village Chapel, 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland. The family will receive friends from 1-2 pm. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family at Hillside Cemetery in Roslyn, PA. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to World Team, 1431 Stuckert Rd., Warrington, PA 18976, www.us.worldteam.org, or to Garden Spot Village Benevolence Fund, 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland, PA 17557. To send the family online condolences visit us at www.groffeckenroth.com. Arrangements by Groff-High Funeral Home, New Holland.
Jeanette was born in Butler, SD, where her father, a farmer, died shortly after her birth. She was the only daughter of the late Frederick and Lydia (Lutter) Stoelting. She was overjoyed with the birth of her step-brother, the late Richard Wellington, just after her 9th birthday.
Jeanette grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she joined Liberty Lutheran Church and was called into full-time service for God. She sailed for India as a single lady in 1951 with World Mission Prayer League, where she was a missionary for 18 years in India and Nepal. There she married her husband Dale in 1953. After 17 years overseas (1951-1968), and 5 children later, the family moved to Michigan, Dale’s home, and later to the Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania. They retired at Garden Spot Village in New Holland in 1997, where they lived the longest of any home their married lives – almost 22 years. They were members of Christian Fellowship Church in New Holland.
She enjoyed reading, games, dogs, handicrafts, shopping, hospitality, and grand- and great-grandchildren – not necessarily in that order.
Surviving are four children, Norma Jean, married to Trevor Douglas, Gordon James, married to Yvonne Leathead, Stuart Jay Leathead, and Cynthia Joy, married to Andrew Kerstetter. She had 7 grandchildren – Mary (Leathead) & Chris McCleary, Chris & Kelly Kerstetter, Heather (Douglas) & Jason Crocker, Mike & Kristin Kerstetter, Kristy (Douglas) & Jim Godwin, Becca Kerstetter, and Joel Douglas (engaged to Katie) – and 2 great-grandchildren, Alice & Carter McCleary.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 21, at 2 pm at Garden Spot Village Chapel, 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland. The family will receive friends from 1-2 pm. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family at Hillside Cemetery in Roslyn, PA. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to World Team, 1431 Stuckert Rd., Warrington, PA 18976, www.us.worldteam.org, or to Garden Spot Village Benevolence Fund, 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland, PA 17557. To send the family online condolences visit us at www.groffeckenroth.com. Arrangements by Groff-High Funeral Home, New Holland.