Merle Leh

Merle A. (Stauffer) Leh, 90, of Allentown, passed away on Friday, December 25, 2020 at Cedarbrook Nursing and Rehab in Allentown. She was the loving wife of the late Richard A. Leh, sharing 68 years of marriage together before his passing in April. For most of their married life, she and her husband resided in a home designed by Merle, and that they built in 1951 in rural Zionsville.

Born at Stahls Pottery in Upper Milford Township, she was the daughter of the late Jesse and Lillian (Stahl) Stauffer.

She was a life-long faithful member of Salem United Methodist Church (Upper Milford Township), where she was active in the Ladies Willing Workers and was a member of the Administrative Board. Merle and her husband were founding members of Stahl’s Pottery Preservation Society Inc. where she served on the Board of Directors and Fundraising Committee and was a devoted volunteer for over 30 years.

Merle loved her family and every family gathering, especially with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was an ardent history buff and loved researching, organizing, and sharing the history of her family, church, Milford Park, Stahl’s Pottery, and local, state, and US history. Merle was an accomplished seamstress with a gift of design. She did seamstress work out of her home, but also periodically worked for several local textile businesses, the earliest one at age 14 and the last in the mid-1990s. She was a great cook and baker, and she loved gardening and had a ‘green’ thumb.

She was proud of her civic duty and received an award from both the Pennsylvania State Senate and House of Representatives inducting her into the Pennsylvania Voter Hall of Fame for having voted in at least fifty consecutive November elections.

Surviving are her five children, Daryl Leh and wife, Anne, of Alburtis, Clellen Leh and wife, Rhoda, of Towanda, Kerwin Leh and wife, Ellen, of Pennsburg, Joel Leh and wife, Nancy, of Macungie, and Christa DeMenno and husband, Richard, of Bechtelsville; seven grandchildren, Kyle Leh and wife, Brittany, Amanda Kane and husband, Justin, Whitney Beshore and husband, Brendan, Victoria Leh, Grace DeMenno, Alaina DeMenno, and Richard DeMenno; four great-grandchildren, Elijah Leh and Madilynn, Ryan and Makenzie Kane; three sisters, Alice Arndt, Norma Flexer and husband, Richard, and Miriam Flexer; and a brother, Russell Stauffer. She is predeceased by a sister, Blanche Stauffer.

Due to the unprecedented circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, we regret to inform you that the date for public calling hours and celebration of Merle’s life will be postponed to a later date. Once a date has been determined, we will make every effort to provide adequate notice to all. Arrangements entrusted to Mann-Slonaker Funeral Home, 222 Washington St., East Greenville, PA 18041. Offer sympathy to the family at www.mannslonakerfuneralhome.com.

Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Salem United Methodist Church, 6440 Powder Valley Road, Zionsville, PA 18092