William C. Hartzell, 89, of Whitehall, died June 4, 2024. He was the husband of Dorothy May (Silfies) Hartzell for 67 years.

He was the son of the late Clifford and Gladys (Sell) Hartzell.

He graduated from Whitehall High School in 1953 where he ran track and played football.

He served in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper in the airborne division and was awarded the Good Conduct Medal and the Parachutist Badge.

He was a jack of all trades. While working for UGI, he was burned in a gas explosion. He started and ran Hartzell Roofing and Siding for 20 years. He later worked with teenagers at a facility in Weaversville and did maintenance work at KidsPeace.

In the mid-1970s, he began doing prison and street ministry in Allentown. He rented a store front on Sixth Street where he and his wife started a church. When a church building became available, he remodeled it, and Community Wesleyan Church was formed. He volunteered at a food bank in Allentown.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by four sons, William of Lehighton, Nathan of Ashley, Timothy with Heather of Williamsport and Daniel with Amy of Watsontown; a brother, George of Elizabethtown; two sisters, Jean Litzenberger of Whitehall and Margaret Guldner with Henry of Roxborough; two sisters-in-law, Lillian Hartzell of Allentown and Sharon Hartzell of Tucson, Ariz.; eight grandchildren, Michael Everett with Cathy Kates of Lehighton, Travis Everett with Nina Reed of Lehighton, Selina Graver with Scott of Lehighton, Nathan Jr. with Mattine of Singapore, Reid of Hong Kong, Ryan with Kirsten of Williamsport, Karissa Pavlick with Steven Vargovich of Allentown and AJ Lambert with Randi of Newberry; 13 great-grandchildren, Summer, Evan, Finn, Mackenzie and Mackayla of Lehighton, Nathan III and Helen-Mar of Singapore, Savannah, Aryannah and Sophia of Allentown and Noah, Chase and Alyvia of Newberry.

He was predeceased by three brothers, Robert, Richard and Jack; a sister-in-law, Dolores; a brother-in-law, Neil Litzenberger; and a daughter-in-law, Terry Hartsell.

A celebration of life will be held 11 a.m. June 13 at Mountain View Wesleyan Church, 1001 Deemer Road, Bath. The service will be livestreamed on the church website, mvwchurch.org.

Arrangements were made by Schisler Funeral Home Inc., Northampton. To see full obituary, visit schislerfuneralhomes.com.