Tamaqua’s ‘Night of Honors’ speakers announced

Two of the U.S. military’s top chaplains will be special guests for the Tamaqua Remembers opening ceremony and “Night of Honors” on May 1.

U.S. Navy Capt. John H. Lea III, who is currently serving on the staff of the Navy Chief of Chaplains in Washington, D.C., will be the guest speaker, while retired Col. Hank Steinhilber, U.S. Army, will offer the opening invocation and benediction.

Steinhilber is a native of Massachusetts, but has lived in Windsor since his retirement.

A graduate of the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, he was called to the Army chaplaincy in 1977.

During his 30-year career, he served in a variety of positions, including as a battalion chaplain, brigade chaplain and division chaplain.

He earned a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from the University of Louisville in Kentucky in 1985 and served as family life chaplain at Fort Rucker in Alabama. He finished his military career at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, where he served as installation chaplain.

He considers his most notable career accomplishments as being chaplain for the NATO Stabilization Force in Sarajevo, Bosnia; free falling tandem parachute jumping with the Golden Knights; and learning SCUBA diving as he approached his 60th birthday.

Married to the former Barbara (Clemson) Kelton of Ambler, the couple has three children — Matthew, Jodi and Lisa. He is currently serving as chaplain for the SpiriTrust Lutheran Retirement Village in York.

Lea currently serves as the force structure division director.

A native of Philadelphia, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Lycoming College in Williamsport in 1980, then graduated from the Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky in 1983, earning a Master of Divinity degree.

His assignments have taken him from the base chapel at Naval Air Station Memphis, to aboard the USS South Carolina, to Headquarters Marine Corps, to the Horn of Africa as the Task Force Chaplain and to Yokosuka, Japan as chaplain to the U.S. Naval Forces Japan.

His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, 3 Meritorious Service Medals, six Navy and Marine Corps Recommendation Medals and the Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

The Night of Honors will kick off a monthlong observance commemorating the 150th anniversary of Memorial Day.

Activities will begin at 6:30 p.m. with an informational program about the American Bald Eagle, presented by the Carbon County Environmental Education Center, in the area of the Tamaqua American Legion on West Broad Street.

At 7 p.m., Nescopec Street will be renamed in honor of the patriots from Tamaqua who have served their country, while a mural being painted on the concrete wall at Cottage Avenue will be unveiled. The mural is being created by Tamaqua artist Kevin Smith. Music will be provided by the Third Brigade Band of Pottsville.