Jane Stevenson Jacksteit

Jane Stevenson Jacksteit of Havre de Grace, Maryland died Wednesday September 5 at the Gilchrist Hospice Center in Towson, surrounded by her family. With her husband the Rev. Berthold Jacksteit, Mrs. Jacksteit moved to Havre de Grace, MD in 1976 upon Rev. Jacksteit's retirement from the ministry after 40 years. The Jacksteits served churches in Pittsburgh and Bradford , Pennsylvania, Anaheim, California and Worcester, Pennsylvania the Central Schwenkfelder Church. Mrs. Jacksteit adopted her "retirement" community of Havre de Grace with enthusiasm. As a volunteer she established an office for the Havre de Grace Chamber of Commerce. Concerned about the deterioration of the town's historic lighthouse, she was one of the co-founders of the Friends of Concord Point Lighthouse and served the organization for many years as President and tireless volunteer, historian and energetic booster. She was dedicated to historic preservation and restoration of the city's waterfront areas for the public's enjoyment. In the early 1990's she ran for Mayor of Havre de Grace to highlight these issues. She also volunteered for the Steppingstone Museum, and for the local FISH program. Mrs. Jacksteit's interest in history encompassed not only Havre de Grace but her family background. She delighted in discovering ancestral roots in nearby Cecil County and traveled to England at the age of 80 with two of her grandchildren to visit important family sites and pursue her genealogical research. A life long passion was music. Through her many years of supporting her husband's ministry Mrs. Jacksteit directed church choirs and special music programs. She was an accomplished singer and pianist, and enjoyed playing the piano and singing hymns until the end of her life. Mrs. Jacksteit was a member of the Havre de Grace Presbyterian Church for thirty years. Her faith in God and the power of God's love never diminished over her long and productive life. Mrs. Jacksteit was born in Kenton, Ohio on October 19, 1917, the daughter of Rev. Arthur Milton and Ethel Murphy Stevenson. She grew up in Elwood City, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Geneva College. She is survived by five daughters, Rebecca Dobson of Windsor, Connecticut, Roberta Scoville and Marsha Jacksteit of Havre de Grace, Maryland, Patricia Rumkevicius of Lansdale, Pennsylvania and Mary Jacksteit of Takoma Park, Maryland, as well as seven grandchildren and five great- grandchildren. Funeral and interment will take place at the Central Schwenkfelder Church, 2111 Valley Forge Road, Worcester, Pennsylvania on Saturday September 8 at 2 PM. The family will receive visitors during the hour before the service. A memorial service will be held at the Havre de Grace Presbyterian Church on Sunday September 16 at 4 PM . The family requests that in lieu of flowers, gifts be made to the Friends of Concord Point Lighthouse designated for creation of a Founders Garden at the Keeper's House. Please send donations in care of Crouch Funeral Home, 127 South Main Street, North East, MD 21901. For condolences, visit www.crouchfuneralhome.com.