Edward Irwin Steckel

Edward Irwin Steckel died from complications of multiple myeloma on Sunday, April 9, 2023, at Bryn Mawr Hospital. He passed peacefully with family at his bedside. Ed was born in Newark, New Jersey on July 17, 1944. The son of Eve and Maurice Steckel, Ed grew up in the Weequahic section of Newark, followed by Roselle Park, and Franklin Township. After graduating from Bound Brook High School, Ed headed out west for college, attending the University of Wisconsin, Madison and graduating as a proud Badger in 1966. The following year Ed began seeking a law degree at the University of Mississippi. While there, he and like-minded classmates worked for civil rights. After Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination he transferred to the University of Kentucky where he completed his law degree. It was there that he met the love of his life, Diana Frierson Steckel. She was walking down the library steps and Ed approached her. The rest, as they say, was history. After Ed graduated, they moved to Washington, DC, where he had worked for the National Labor Relations Board during the summer months. In 1970 Ed and Diana settled in downtown Philadelphia where Ed worked for the office of Economic Opportunity. Their daughter, Julia, was born there and the following year they moved to Harrisburg, where Ed served as a Deputy Attorney General with the Department of Justice. Their son, David, was born in Harrisburg and when he was six months old Ed and Diana moved to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania where he was a lawyer in the firm of Black & Davidson. Edward established a private practice with David Dickey and later set up his own practice, sharing a set of offices with his longtime friends, William and Kathleen Cramer and assisted by their beloved secretary Sue Rote. In 2016 Ed was recognized by the Franklin County Bar Association for his lifelong commitment to his clients, the community and the profession of law. His later years were primarily spent representing those with mental illness. Ed loved cheering on his beloved Wisconsin Badgers and was a huge sports fan, often calling or texting his son David or his son in law, David Fleischner, to tell them what a great women’s volleyball game he had just seen or how there were two Badgers playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ed and Diana loved driving up and staying in Southwest Harbor Maine and on Martha’s Vineyard. Ed was a voracious reader, enjoying books right up until his death, especially English mysteries and collections of his favorite authors like EB White, Henning Mankell and Alan Furst. Ed was a devoted grandfather to granddaughters Margaret and Caroline. He is survived by his wife, Diana, daughter Julia (David) and son, David (Beth), as well as his sister Judee (Howard) and his brother, Randy(Michelle) and many nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service for Ed will be held this summer on Martha’s Vineyard. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Franklin County Legal Services (www.fcls.net) or MANNA(www.mannapa.org)