Esther Daetz

Esther Mae Daetz, age 98, of Chambersburg, PA and formerly of Fairfield, PA, passed away at Providence Place in Chambersburg on Monday April 22. Born April 4, 1921, in Gettysburg, she was the daughter of the late Rev. Amos and Ella Mae Musselman Geigley. She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband Paul Crist, her second husband Neil Daetz, her son Richard Crist, her grandson Ryan Crist, her brother Robert Geigley and her sister Shirley Ann Miller

Mrs. Daetz lived her whole life in the Fairfield area. She grew up the daughter of a Mennonite minister, who established the original Mennonite church in Fairfield, and also ran a extensive and profitable fruit business. As a young girl she had to assume the responsibilities of running the family household after her mother passed when she was 12 years old. She attended college in Ohio and earned her Bachelor's degree from Bluffton College. During World War 2 she chose to help others by attending St. Agnes School of Nursing in Philadelphia and becoming a Registered Nurse. After marrying her husband Paul in 1947, they settled in the Fairfield area near her family. She served as school nurse for the Fairfield School District for twenty five years starting in 1958. She was a devoted wife and mother, raising three sons while continuing her career. Summers were spent on family trips and serving as the resident nurse at Camp Eder, the Church of the Brethren retreat established on land donated to the church by her father. She received her Master's Degree in Counselling from Shippensburg State College. She retired from nursing in 1983 and enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. After her husband's passing in 1986, she continued to focus on helping others and enjoying the time with her growing number of grandchildren. She remarried in (2000?), to a retired minister, and moved to Blue Ridge Summit. She was an active member of the Lower Marsh Creek Church in Gettysburg and enjoyed spending time with friends and family. She lived through a time of amazing change in the world, the Great Depression, World War 2, horses and buggies, space flight, a man on the moon, silent films and personal computers. She was eternally optimistic and always wanting to help others, never putting herself first.

She is survived by sons Frederic Crist (wife Robin) of Charlottesville, Virginia, Michael Crist (finance Beronica Castaneda) of Fort Myers, Florida, daughter-in-law Patricia Crist of Arizona; five grandchildren: Megan, Ian, Joshua, Brandon and Kalli Crist; one great grandson: Schuyler Pugh; and sister Sue Deardorff. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Paul Crist in 1986 and her second husband, Neil Daetz in 2012, a son, Richard W. Crist, a grandson, Ryan Crist, a brother, Robert Geigley and sister Shirley Ann Miller.

A memorial service will be held on Sat. May 4th at 11:00 am at Lower Marsh Presbyterian Church where Rev Mark Englund-Krieger will officiate. The family will receive friends after the memorial service. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her name to American Heart Association (heart.org). Arrangements are entrusted to the Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Chambersburg, PA. Online condolences may be offered on her Book of Memories page at www.geiselfuneralhome.com.