June Brightbill Zeller
June Brightbill Zeller transitioned in her sleep Sept. 10, 2013. She was born April 4, 1918, in Reading, Pa., daughter of Carrie Sadie Yeagley and Harry Frantz Brightbill. She attended grammar school in Reading, Pa., near 12th & Greenwich streets and junior high, 7th to 9th at the Reading Jr. High on 13th Street, where she graduated in February 1933 as they had two class groups at that time. She moved to Lambertville, N.J., to live with her father and attend Lambertville High School, graduating in June 1936 as she claimed “a full 1/2 year later than I would’ve had I stayed in Reading!” In Lambertville she met, was courted by and married her life’s love and companion Ludwig August “Mittnacht” Zeller on ‘Roosevelt’s T-day,” Nov. 20, 1941, the only time, thanks to Franklyn Roosevelt’s declaration, that Thanksgiving Day was held that early.
While in high school, she worked at the Lambertville Hosiery Mill filling bobbins and spools for 25 cents/hour. After graduating she attended Trenton Industrial Arts School and studied dress making while Ludwig, also in Trenton, was mastering auto mechanics and drafting. During World War II, while Ludwig served in the Navy, she worked at a rubber mill near Flemington, N.J., and managed a farm with Ludwig’s parents.
After the war June, Ludwig and his parents purchased and settled on a farm in Holland Township near Milford, N.J., where they raised three sons, chickens and cows, and sold eggs, beef and milk. Her fondest memories were of the New Jersey farm. She loved being outdoors, raising animals and driving tractors. She always enjoyed the end of the week when she would meet Ludwig returning from his work and go dancing into Saturday morning. She was an avid bowler and belonged to a Riegle Ridge Bowling club during the ’50 & ’60s. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother during the late ’50s, a Weight Watchers bookkeeper and a founding member of the Milford “Lazy Daisies” social club. After retirement, June and Ludwig left the Holland Township farm and split their time between Bernville, Pa., and St. James City, Fla., dancing, boating, fishing, building, puttering and enjoying friends.
She was the quiet, solid, loving companion behind her husband Ludwig’s avid engagement with community and projects. She was a believer in and a master of the golden rule: doing unto others only what she would have done unto herself, in word and deed, no matter the situation.
A dedicated daughter, friend, wife, mother, grand and great-grandmother, Mrs. Zeller was her sweet and kind self to the end.
She is survived by her three sons, Karl Zeller of Wellington, Colo., Fred Zeller of Cape Coral, Tom Zeller of Baltimore, Md., nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
There will be a celebration of June and Ludwig’s lives in Milford Sept. 28 and another in January in St. James City. Please contact Tom Zeller tzeller@early.com for more information. Sympathy cards can be sent to the Zeller Family at 718 Dunkirk Road, Baltimore, MD 21212. In lieu of gifts or flowers, donations can be made to the Zeller Family Scholarship Fund, 9401 Shoofly Lane, Wellington, CO 80549. The fund gives annual awards to selected graduating high school seniors who plan to continue in technical or non-academic careers as manifested by Lud’s and June’s lives.