AUBURN___Edward L. Steinmetz, 90, of 49 Sumner Street, died Monday March 5 in UMASS Memorial Medical Center, 119 Belmont St, Worcester. His wife, Adele T. (Wolochowicz) Steinmetz died Feb. 5, 2000. They were married on Sept. 1, 1941.
He leaves two sons, Robert C. Steinmetz and Charles M. Steinmetz, both of Auburn. A brother, Bernard E. Steinmetz died in 1984, a sister, Virginia V. Kozlowski resides in Auburn; a brother Donald R. Steinmetz resides in Lady Lake, Fl, and a brother, Joseph P. Steinmetz died in 1979. He also leaves nephews and nieces. He was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, the eldest son of Leo P. and Louise (Mertens) Steinmetz. During the depression he came from Manchester to Worcester with his parents when the Amoskeag Mills went on strike. At that time the owner of the Mill said that before he would give one penny more to the workers he would see grass grow on Elm street in Manchester. He has resided in Auburn since 1952. His grandparents, Joseph and Mary (Vokel) Steinmetz immigrated to this country from Alsace, France where they had been hops farmers.
He graduated from the Quinsigamond School, Worcester. As a young teenager he worked at the former Worcester Market on Main St. In 1936 at the age of 19 he enrolled in President Roosevelt’s Civilian Conservation Corps and served in the forestry division in North Thetford, VT. Prior to World War II he was a bread wrapper for Mother’s Bakery. He worked 42 years for Johnson Steel &Wire Co., as a wire drawer and also worked in the testing and shipping depts. In his retirement he worked 10 years as a groundskeeper for Notre Dame Cemetery.
Mr. Steinmetz was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II serving with Battery C, 459th Anti-Aircraft Artillery unit. He served at Normandy, the Ardennes, Northern France, the Rhineland and Central Europe. He was at Normandy Beach on the second day of the invasion. In April 2002 he was awarded the Normandy Medal of the Jubilee of Liberty by the French consul general in a ceremony aboard the USS John F. Kennedy. In his youth he played the violin. In later years he enjoyed building model ships and gardening. He also enjoyed taking cruises with his wife aboard the Holland America Cruise Line. Edward was a member of St. Josephs Roman Catholic Church, Auburn. At his family’s request the funeral will be held in the church he was married in, Our Lady of Czestochowa Church.
The funeral will be held on Saturday March 10, from HENRY – DIRSA FUNERAL HOME, 33 Ward Street, Worcester with a Mass at 10:30 a.m. in Our Lady of Czestochowa Church 34 Ward Street, Worcester. Entombment will be in Notre Dame Cemetery Mausoleum, Worcester. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Francis Adult Day Health Center, 101 Plantation St, Worcester, MA 01604 or to the Servants of Jesus and Mary, 17000 State Route 30, Constable, NY 12926.