Gertrude F. Skelly

Gertrude Margaret Fetzer Skelly 97, of Willow Street, PA, formerly of Washington Crossing and Jamison, Bucks County, PA died on Friday, July 11, 2025 at the Willow Valley Community.
Born in Abington, PA on February 3, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Ludwig and Marie Steng Fetzer, both of whom were born in Germany and emigrated to the United States in 1922 and 1923 respectively.
She graduated from Buckingham Friends School in 1942, Hatboro High School in 1946, and Pennsylvania State University in 1950 with a BA degree in Liberal Arts.
Her employment career included positions with Standard Pressed Steel in Jenkintown, PA, Educational Testing Service in Princeton, NJ, and Inter-Americas Consulting in Washington Crossing, PA.
By virtue of her husband's employment transfers, throughout her lifetime she lived in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Illinois, Kentucky, Bogota, Columbia, S.A. and Mexico City, Mexico.
She volunteered her services and served in official capacities with the Bucks County Association for Retarded Children, Bucks County United Fund, and Girl Scouts in various communities where she lived, Upper Makefield Historical Society, Willow Valley Computer, as well as the church in each location where she resided.
She was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority and a founder in 1957 and lifelong supporter of its North Philadelphia Suburban Alumni chapter and its various initiatives.
She is predeceased by her husband of 61 years, John Carothers Skelly of Willow Street, PA who died on February 11, 2012 and two sons, Steven Clark and John Edward Skelly who died in 1954 and 1961. She is survived by daughter Jean Marie Skelly, grandson William Ludwig Stringer and granddaughter Whitney Marie Stringer of Victoria, BC, Canada,; and son Peter Frederick Skelly, grandsons John Ludwig and Christopher Michael Skelly of Bethlehem, PA. She is also survived by her brother Arthur Eugene Fetzer and his wife Barbara of Bethlehem, PA, two great grandchildren Ella-Marie Stringer-Vidalin and Riley Violet Mettes-Stringer, her son-in-law George Frederick Stringer III, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing on Friday, July 18, 2025 from 11:00am until her Funeral Service at 12 Noon in the Lutheran Church of the Ascension, 600 E. Penn Grant Rd. Willow Street PA 17584. Her interment will take place at 11:00am on Saturday, July 19, 2025 at Forest Hills Cemetery, 25 Byberry Road, Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006.
Those wishing to do so may make donations in Gertrude's memory to the Endowment Fund at the Lutheran Church of the Ascension in Willow Street, PA.