Althea B. Zehner

Althea Breiner Zehner,106, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 30, at St. Luke’s Hospital Coaldale, PA.

Born on April 1, 1919, in West Penn Township, she was the daughter of the late J. LeRoy Breiner and Florence Kutz Breiner. She was preceded in death by her husband, Newton L. Zehner who passed away on Dec. 1, 1990. They had been married for 5O years.

Althea was a 1936 graduate of Tamaqua High School, and a 1938 & 1964 graduate of Kutztown University with a B.S. in education. She was a teacher in the Tamaqua and West Penn area schools for 30 years.

She was a life- long member of St. Peter's Union, Mantzville. She was a former member of the Lutheran Church Council, taught adult Sunday school classes for 48 years, served as longtime secretary of the women's church group, was a Luther League advisor and participated in the long-range planning committee. She was president and secretary of the Tamaqua area Lutheran cluster and a former secretary of women of the ELCA of the Hazleton- Lehighton District.

She devoted many hours to community organizations by serving as Worthy Matron of former Pilgrim chapter#137 of Tamaqua Order of the Eastern Star. She was a member of the former West Penn Township Fair committee, a longtime member and former president and secretary of the West Penn Garden Club, and a former president and secretary of the West Penn Lioness Club. She was also an officer in the Schuylkill County Extension Association.

Because she was always interested in preserving the Pennsylvania Dutch heritage, she was a member of the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Association and was a board member of the former 3 county women's Fersommling and the schreiver (secretary) of the former New Ringgold Fersommling.

She had a passion for oil painting and was an annual exhibitor at the Tamaqua Art Leagues show with oil paintings and pen and ink drawings.

Althea and her husband enjoyed travelling extensively in the continental U.S. as well as Alaska and Hawaii, Canada, the Caribbean, and 16 countries in Europe.

Survivors include her daughter, Rebecca Zehner and her granddaughters: Jessica, wife of Keith Ryan and Stephanie, wife of Matthew Johnson, great-grandchildren, Amelia Johnson, Alexander Johnson, Isobel Ryan and Gabrielle Ryan and son in law Bruce Everett.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Deborah Everett.

Services will be held at St. Peter's Church, 184 St. Peter’s Rd, Tamaqua PA 18252 on Thursday October 9th at 11am with Rev. Clifford Herring officiating. Calling hours will be in the church from 9:30-11am. Interment will take place in the church cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Peter's Union Church, 184 St. Peter’s Road, Tamaqua, PA18252.

The Robert S. Nester Funeral Home is in charge arrangements. Online Registry and Condolences may be signed at www.griffithsfuneralhomes.com