Leslie Ward Lichtel, 95, of Shamokin, passed away on Sunday, January 4th at the Shamokin Community Hospital.
Ward was born on October 6, 1913 in Shamokin, PA, to Leslie Ward and Ruth (Stroh) Lichtel. He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Kathryn in February 2008, after 72 years of marriage, a brother Donald and his youngest son, Richard, who died in September 2007.
He graduated from Bloomsburg State Teachers College in 1935 after commencement from Shamokin High School in the Class of 1931. He taught in the same room at the Lincoln School in Shamokin for 40 years and coached junior high school football and basketball throughout his career, coaching basketball for all 40 of those years. He loved athletics until the day he died following the most recent college football bowl games. Ward was inducted into the Bernie Romanowski Hall of Fame and loved to tell old football stories.
Ward was a proud teacher, frequently telling stories of success about the children he taught. He loved all of his former students and they were second only to his extended family in his thoughts and prayers. Following his retirement from the Shamokin School District in 1975, he continued to be a substitute teacher for 17 more years until he turned 80 and had taught 3 generations of many families.
Survivors include sons, W. Reese and his wife Jeanmarie of Mechanicsburg; L. Edwin and his wife Susann of Elysburg; and daughter-in-law Beverly of Camp Hill; grandchildren, Kathy Cooney and husband Joe, Dan Lichtel and wife Kym, John Lichtel and wife Terri, Matthew Lichtel and wife Sarah, Lisa Burke and husband Patrick, David Lichtel and wife Kelly, Jeffrey Lichtel and wife Nicole, Jason Lichtel and Megan Lichtel. Kathleen Magnelli, Kathryn's twin sister and recently very close to Ward, also survives as does a close niece, Betsy (Reese) Ross of Palmyra. He also leaves behind 13 great grandchildren who loved him dearly as their "Papa".
Ward and Kathryn were married in the First Evangelical United Brethren Church in Shamokin and both continued membership in that church, now the First United Methodist Church, until their death. Ward was very active in the church, serving as Sunday School Teacher and as a member of the church council. He was also very active in the Shamokin Elks Club, where he served a term as Exalted Ruler and a number of years as Chaplain.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 10th at 11:00 a.m. in the First United Methodist Church at Sunbury and Ninth Streets in Shamokin. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m. Interment will follow the service at the Shamokin Cemetery. Rev. Brian Albert will officiate.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church at the address listed above.
Farrow Funeral Directors in charge of arrangements.

www.pennlive.com/obits January 6, 2009