Obituary for Elizabeth C. Kreiger (Heron)
Elizabeth “Betty” Charlotte Kreiger, July 28, 1934-January 8, 2021
On a warm summer day, July 28, 1934, in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Charlotte Heron was born to Elva and Charles Herron. She loved school and grew up to be a creative and motivated young lady. In her youth, she was an active member at Grace UCC in Hazleton, PA, where she was in the junior choir (even though she couldn’t carry a tune). It was there that she was paired with a boy who was a very good singer. This boy turned out to be Forrest Kreiger, her “one in a million”, whom she later married. They would spend 62 years of marriage together, raising four daughters and becoming grandparents to 12 and great grandparents to 12, which certainly created large and noisy family gatherings.
Love, family, and faith were the cornerstones of Betty’s life, and everything she did was a reflection of those virtues. For over 30 years, she wrote and directed plays and musicals (she did not participate in the singing part) for Shenkel United Church of Christ. She was a creative and confident woman, who empowered others by her belief in them and confidence in what they could accomplish. This was not only evident as a mother or as a play director, but also in her work life, as assistant to the pastor at First Baptist Church or as a bank manager at Sovereign Bank, both in Pottstown.
Betty loved adventure and travel. She was in the first Voluntary Service group of the United Church of Christ and was assigned to inner city St. Louis, MO, after completing orientation at Fernbrook Center in Pottstown, PA. That adventure was the first of many, as Betty was always looking for a destination spot for the next trip. Over her 86 years, Betty and Forrest traveled all over the United States, Canada, Europe, Central America, and the Middle East, including many cruises. There are photo albums aplenty, one or more for every trip, from many years of travel.
Betty arrived in heaven on January 8, 2021, ahead of her loving and devoted husband, Forrest Kreiger, of Zieglerville, PA; four daughters, Susan (and Homer) Royer, of East Greenville, PA; Brenda Pardun, of Maytown, PA; Diane (and Bob) Tipping, of Green Lane, PA; and Kathy (and Joe) Perelli, of Bath, PA; 12 grandchildren, Amity, Jesse, Ariel, Whitney, Rebekah, Caleb, Courtney, Kyle, Connor, Joelle, Magen, and Jay; 12 great grandchildren, Ben, Dylan, Evie, Faith, Joss, Kit Jules, Kye, Sylvester, Mitchell, Callie, Leeta; and her brother, Edward (and Leah) Herron, of Dover, DE. Greeting her in heaven were her parents; brother, Charles Herron; son-in-law Pete Pardun; and best friend Ella Zueger, along with many close friends and relatives.
A celebration of Betty's life will be held Saturday, July 24, at 3 p.m. (Betty loved parties) at Shenkel United Church of Christ, Pottstown, PA, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 24, at 3 p.m., when we can gather in person and share love, hugs, food, and stories. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shenkel United Church of Christ, 1580 Shenkel Road, Pottstown PA 19465 or Frederick Living, 2849 Big Road, Zieglerville PA 19492.
On a warm summer day, July 28, 1934, in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Charlotte Heron was born to Elva and Charles Herron. She loved school and grew up to be a creative and motivated young lady. In her youth, she was an active member at Grace UCC in Hazleton, PA, where she was in the junior choir (even though she couldn’t carry a tune). It was there that she was paired with a boy who was a very good singer. This boy turned out to be Forrest Kreiger, her “one in a million”, whom she later married. They would spend 62 years of marriage together, raising four daughters and becoming grandparents to 12 and great grandparents to 12, which certainly created large and noisy family gatherings.
Love, family, and faith were the cornerstones of Betty’s life, and everything she did was a reflection of those virtues. For over 30 years, she wrote and directed plays and musicals (she did not participate in the singing part) for Shenkel United Church of Christ. She was a creative and confident woman, who empowered others by her belief in them and confidence in what they could accomplish. This was not only evident as a mother or as a play director, but also in her work life, as assistant to the pastor at First Baptist Church or as a bank manager at Sovereign Bank, both in Pottstown.
Betty loved adventure and travel. She was in the first Voluntary Service group of the United Church of Christ and was assigned to inner city St. Louis, MO, after completing orientation at Fernbrook Center in Pottstown, PA. That adventure was the first of many, as Betty was always looking for a destination spot for the next trip. Over her 86 years, Betty and Forrest traveled all over the United States, Canada, Europe, Central America, and the Middle East, including many cruises. There are photo albums aplenty, one or more for every trip, from many years of travel.
Betty arrived in heaven on January 8, 2021, ahead of her loving and devoted husband, Forrest Kreiger, of Zieglerville, PA; four daughters, Susan (and Homer) Royer, of East Greenville, PA; Brenda Pardun, of Maytown, PA; Diane (and Bob) Tipping, of Green Lane, PA; and Kathy (and Joe) Perelli, of Bath, PA; 12 grandchildren, Amity, Jesse, Ariel, Whitney, Rebekah, Caleb, Courtney, Kyle, Connor, Joelle, Magen, and Jay; 12 great grandchildren, Ben, Dylan, Evie, Faith, Joss, Kit Jules, Kye, Sylvester, Mitchell, Callie, Leeta; and her brother, Edward (and Leah) Herron, of Dover, DE. Greeting her in heaven were her parents; brother, Charles Herron; son-in-law Pete Pardun; and best friend Ella Zueger, along with many close friends and relatives.
A celebration of Betty's life will be held Saturday, July 24, at 3 p.m. (Betty loved parties) at Shenkel United Church of Christ, Pottstown, PA, tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 24, at 3 p.m., when we can gather in person and share love, hugs, food, and stories. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shenkel United Church of Christ, 1580 Shenkel Road, Pottstown PA 19465 or Frederick Living, 2849 Big Road, Zieglerville PA 19492.