Eugene R. Hoffman, Sr., 80, died Tuesday, September 25, 2012, at the Hyman S. Caplan Pavilion, Lebanon. He was the husband of Sylvia L. (Zeller) Hoffman to whom he would have been married 53 years on November 1st. Born in South Lebanon Twp., on September 24, 1932, he was the son of the late George H, Sr. and Lillie M. (Eberly) Hoffman. He was a 1951 graduate of Jonestown High School and served in the U.S. Navy as an Engineman PO3rd Class from 1955-1957. He had been a self- employed dairy and crops farmer in Newmanstown for 55 years until 1989 and a real estate agent for Century 21 Krall Real Estate from 1987 to the present. He was owner of the Fort Zeller Museum, Newmanstown, and cofounder and Charter Director of Rural Leadership, Inc. (A nonprofit corporation associated with Penn State University School of Agriculture for instruction for Rural Leaders.) He was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Distinguished Leadership for Outstanding Service to Rural Leadership in 1989. He also worked part time for the Soil Conservation Service, surveying and designing dams, waterways, tile, diversions, etc. from 1967-1972. He was a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church, Schaefferstown and attended St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, Lebanon. He was also a member of the Lebanon County Board of Realtors where he served on the Legislative Committee, Equal Opportunity Committee and a Conservation liaison; PA Assoc. of Realtors, serving on the State Legislative Committee, Energy and Environmental subcommittee, and Wet Lands Committee; National Assn. of Realtors; Lebanon Valley Chamber of Commerce from 1998 to the present where he served on the Legislative committee and had been presented with the Ambassador of the Year Award in 2006; Williamson Masonic Lodge F&AM #307, Womelsdorf; Reading Consistory; past president of the Lebanon County Farmers Assn.; past member of the National, State, and Lebanon County Holstein Assn.; member of the ELCO Young Farmers; past president and member of the executive committee of the Lebanon County Extension Assn. from 1969-1987; Lebanon County Historical Society; Lebanon County Tourist Bureau from 1962-1995; and served with the Newmanstown Civic Assn., and Lions Club. He served as a Millcreek Twp. Supervisor from 1976-1982 and served on the Planning and Zoning committee from 1973-1990; past president of the Lebanon County Township Supervisors Assn.; Charter director and past secretary treasurer of the Cleona Milk Producers Cooperative, Inc. He served on the Lebanon County Rural Development committee; Local and State Land Use Planning Committee; Capitol Region Study Committee of the Comprehensive Water Quality Management Planning for the Capitol Region; state committee for Legislative Implementation of guidelines for storm water control; Boy Scout leader, Boy Scout Committee and Merit Badge Counselor for numerous merit badges. In addition to his wife, he is survived by sons, Eugene R. Hoffman, Jr. of Lebanon, William H. husband of Beverly Hoffman of Schaefferstown, Franklin G. husband of Jodi Hoffman of Newmanstown; grandchildren, William Hoffman, Jr., Christopher Hoffman and Morgan Hoffman; sister, Dorothy Eberly of Myerstown; brother, Robert husband of Frances Hoffman of Armagh, PA; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a brother Rev. George Hoffman, Jr. and a sister Betty Tripler.

Joseph Zeller.  A dedicated public servant, always willing to share his life experiences with young or old, has now departed from his Earthly mission.  Joseph (Joe) Richard Zeller came into this World September 19, 1918 in Campus, Illinois, son of the late Carl and Frances (Kunkel) Zeller.  He departed December 12, 2018 at the age of 100 years young in his favorite room of the house he proudly built near New Tripoli.  He believed being positive would achieve personal goals and that every generation will meet their challenges to keep our Nation strong. Zeller daily sported his signature patriotic neckties. Joe came into the world during the last months of WWI and lived through the Spanish Flu which claimed his brother Leo.

Joe’s youth was shaped by many factors: at age 11 his Mother died; his Father’s clientele as a tavern owner included Al Capone; dedication to the Catholic Church teachings; Depression loss of family home and business and finally as a teen, along with younger brother Frank, being sent to Southern Indiana to be farmhands and operators of an Aunt’s sizeable illegal moonshine production.  After Federal Agents raided his Aunt’s operation, these two teens fled to Chicago hidden in a load of furniture.  Joe, who also boxed in the Golden Gloves competition in Chicago, took care of himself and Frank by working in restaurants and selling vacuum cleaners until he became an apprentice electrician in 1938 in Wausau, Wisconsin and a journeyman electrician in 1941.  This set the stage for over three years of WWII service where he earned the rank of AEMC- Aviation Electrician Mate Chief in the Navy, including 2 years aboard the USS Ranger CV-4 carrier with combat in Operation Torch in Casablanca and Operation Leader along the German occupied coast of Norway.  He was recalled during the Korean War.  Joe earned his GED in the Navy, using the GI Bill to earn a degree in Electrical Engineering at Penn State’s night school.

In the 1950’s Joe’s love of people emerged as the organizer of the Emmaus Taxpayers League and his election as Councilman and Mayor of the Borough of Emmaus. In 1970 Joe was elected to the first of five terms as a Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 134^th District of Lehigh County, dedicating himself to assisting volunteer fire/ambulance services.  He served twelve years as a Council Member of the Governor’s Justice Commission; a decade on the Advisory Board of LCCC and as Columnist for Lehigh Valley locals for more than two decades.  In addition to public service, his career in Electrical Engineering was highlighted with 10 years with E.C. Ernst Electrical Contractors of Washington, D.C. supervising projects like Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, the original Schaefer Brewery of Breinigsville and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Project.  Zeller held membership in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (I.B.E.W. Local 375) since 1941.

Among numerous memberships,  associations and community causes,  Zeller contributed 50 years as a Boy Scout Merit Badge Counselor; a major player in keeping the historic Soldiers and Sailors Monument rooted at Center Square despite a 1960’s push to relocate it to West Park; successfully challenging his own Priest during an illegal bingo operation; defeating the State Civil Liberties Union’s drive to remove a taxpayer purchased Nativity from the Emmaus Triangle; key player to block the building of the Trexler Dam in Western Lehigh in the 1970’s; and serving as a public speaker for over 45 years.  Assisting and honoring fellow Veterans was a priority, including formation of the Brig. Gen. Anna Mae V. McCabe Hays VFW Post 12099 in Allentown.  Recently his untiring energy was directed to Seipstown Grange #1657; Lehigh Valley Beekeepers Association; the Emmaus Historical Society/Shelter House/1803 House; 20 year tenure as Treasurer of the USS Ranger CV-4 Reunion Group; Allentown’s Liberty Bell Museum and the Zeller Family Reunion Group of Lebanon County home to his beloved Ft. Zeller (1745).   Zeller served as “hands on” Chair of the 300^th Anniversary weekend of Zeller/s in America in 2010; the 100^th anniversary celebrations of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in 1999 and Allentown Flag Day Association in 2007; and the Korean War 50^th Anniversary in the Lehigh Valley where more than 1200 appreciation medallions were presented in behalf of South Korea.  His patriotism never wavered with more than 70 years membership in both the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars;  Founder/President of the Emmaus Flag Day Association and Past President of the Allentown Flag Day Association. 

Survivors:  Ann Wertman, his beloved partner of more than 40 years.  He is survived by three daughters; Brenda, Laura and Margaret and five grandchildren from his earlier marriage to Marjorie Lawless Zeller. Siblings Carl, John, Leo, Frank and Irene preceded him in death.  Services: Private burial, Indiantown Gap National Cemetery.  Contributions:  VFW Post 12099 of Allentown to assist fellow Veterans or historic Liberty Bell Museum of Allentown to keep local history alive, both in care of the Keller Funeral Home, Inc., 1018 Church Street, Fogelsville, PA  18051.

The Rev. Earl W. Zellers, 86, born in Avon, Lebanon Co., the son of the late Grant E. and Agnes M. (Strause) Zellers, died peacefully November 13, 2016 at his home. He was the husband of Arlene R. (Sholly) for 62 years. Earl was preceded in death by his eight siblings, Daniel, John, Mary, Susan, Dorothy, Herbert, Ethel and Grant.
He graduated from South Lebanon High School in 1948, Gettysburg College in 1952 and the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg in 1955.

Ordained by the Central Pennsylvania Synod, he served as pastor of the Plum Creek Lutheran Parish, Sunbury (1955-1959), Bethany Lutheran Church, Montoursville (1959-1961), St. Paul Lutheran Church, Altoona (1961-1968) and St. Mark Lutheran Church, Annville (1968-1994). Since retiring, he served interim pastorates at Friedens Lutheran Church, Myerstown and Zion Lutheran Church, Lebanon.
Earl served as Dean of the Lebanon District (LCA), on the Executive Board of the Central Pennsylvania Synod, on the Board of Trustees of Gettysburg College, Chairman of the Central Pennsylvania Synod on Higher Education, and was an elected delegate to multiple church-wide conventions.
Within the local community, he was a member of the Greater Annville Committee, president of the Lebanon County Christian Ministries, and volunteer chaplain at the Good Samaritan Hospital and the Lebanon County Jail.
In recent years, Earl served as president of the local chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America as well as president of the Zeller Family Association. He has been a member of the Lebanon County and the Tulpehocken Settlement Historical Societies, and the Pennsylvania German Society.
He was the father of four children, Steven, married to Deborah (Thomas), Bonita Benjamin, Rebecca, wife of Ronald Hazlett and Kristine, wife of Eric Fortuna; Grandfather to ten grandchildren: Jennifer Zellers, Jessica (Zellers), wife of Bill Evans, Elan and Khali Benjamin, Stephanie, Lauren, Melanie and Michelle Hazlett, and Ethan and Benjamin Fortuna; great grandfather to Daria Evans.
God, family, church and community have been priorities in his life, while music, sports, pinochle, friends, good humor and travel have kept his life meaningful and entertaining.

Edwin A. "Ed" Zellers, 96, died on Monday, December 26, 2016 at M.S. Hershey Medical Center.
He was born on Sunday, April 11, 1920 to the late U. Grant Zellers and Emma Zellers nee Schaeffer in Lebanon. He was a member of Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church. He worked for Homestead Air Force Base as a mechanic, Bethlehem Steel and Manheim Auto Auction for 17 years. Ed enjoyed golf and was a North Lebanon Twp. Supervisor for 17 years. He was a charter member of Northern Lebanon Lions Club, member of Masonic Lodge #226, Royal Arch Royal Select, Consistory of Harrisburg 32nd Degree, Scottish Rite of Harrisburg (member since 1960), Shriners Zembo Temple, Tall Cedars of Lebanon and Friendship Fire Company.
Surviving are several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by wife, Clara Ann Zellers nee Zulovich; daughter, Patricia Ann Zellers; several brothers and sisters.