Ada Louise (Kreider) Steirer came into this world on June 13, 1936, in Lexington, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, as the eldest child of Jacob Brackbill Kreider and Anna Hess (Stoner) Kreider. She was named after her maternal Grandmother, Ada Risser (Hess) Stoner.

Ada Lou attended Lincoln Elementary School where she engaged in a running competition for the best grades with the Hursh neighbor girls. She played French horn in the high schoolmarching band and graduated from Ephrata High School in 1954with high honors. She matriculated to Gettysburg College, where she pledged Alpha Xi Delta, was a proud Phi Beta Kappa and graduated Magna cum Laude with a B.A. in Classical Languages in 1958. While at Gettysburg College she met her future husband, William (Bill) Frank Steirer, Jr., whom she married in 1958 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Ephrata. She often recounted how she left her wedding in Ephrata’s first air-conditioned automobile.

While Bill began his graduate studies in history at University of Pennsylvania, Ada Lou took graduate level classes. Ada Lou returned to the Ephrata area in the early 1960’s when Bill got a job teaching at Franklin & Marshall. They settled in the Ephrata, buying their first home in the newly developed Lincoln Heights, and Ada Lou returned to Ephrata High School to teach Latin and Russian. While in Ephrata, they welcomed their first child, Mark William in 1965.

The young family moved to Clemson, South Carolina in 1966, when Bill took a position teaching history at Clemson University. In 1970 they welcomed their daughter, Kristen Jill. In Clemson, Ada Lou worked outside of the home and volunteered in her new community. The family were activemembers at University Lutheran Church. Ada Lou’s professional and community activities during her time in Clemson included, but was not limited to, research associate at the Strom Thurmond Institute, Clemson City Council, and charter member and past president of the League of Women Voters of the Clemson Area.

Ada Lou always appreciated her Pennsylvania Dutch Heritage and her connections to Lancaster County. During her senior yearat Gettysburg College, she travelled home to attend the founding board meeting of the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley. In 2007 at the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Society, she was honored as the only living founding member. She maintained her membership throughout her life, contributing a number of items to the Society’s collection. After moving to Clemson, Ada Lou made yearly trips back to the Ephrata area for long visits.

Ada Lou moved from Clemson to Dallas, Texas in 2023 to be closer to her son, Mark, and his family. Stubbornly independent to the end, she passed away on June 9, 2026 after a decline in health. She spent the last 2 months of her life enjoying time with her two children and grandchildren. A perpetual lover of games and cards, especially bridge and hearts, she slyly shot the moon two weeks before her death, feigning ignorance of the rules – and ignorance of what game was being played. She loved sitting with her family watching sports, especially cheering on her beloved Clemson Tigers. She had a special affection for the family dogs Ellie and Mercury. You could often find her working on a crossword puzzle while enjoying a cup of her favorite drink – COFFEE!

Ada Louise was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Bill, her brother, Glenn S. Kreider and his wife Judith Kreider, and her sister, Joanne S. Parrott. She is survived by her son, Mark William Steirer and his wife Richelle (Hatch) Steirer and their children, William Oliver, Katherine Eva and Preston Otto Hoffmann. And by her daughter, Kristen (Steirer) Dawson and her husband, Russ Edmund Dawson and their daughter, Trenna Kay. Also surviving are sisters, Rosalie S. Kreider and Suzanne (Kreider) LeVesconte, Brother-In Law Kenneth (Bud) Steirer, Sister-In-Law Barbara (Bobbie) Johnson, thirteen nieces and nephews, and fourteen grand-nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday October 10, at 11:00 AM, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Ephrata, PA, the Pastor Mark R. Luscombe officiating. Interment will follow at Middle Creek Church of the Brethren, Ephrata Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

It is requested that flowers be omitted and memorials be directed to Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley [HSCV, P.O. Box 193, Ephrata, Pennsylvania 17522] or to the Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity [111 Sloan Street, Clemson, South Carolina 29641].