Cecelia L. Steffel, 98, of Defiance, passed away on Tuesday, February 11, 2014, at the CHP Defiance Area In-Patient Hospice Center.

She was born on December 4, 1915, to Peter and Susan (Warnimont) Hesselschwardt in Defiance County, Ohio. Cecelia married Gerald G. Steffel in 1937, and he passed away in 2001.

She was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church and its Altar Society and was a volunteer with the Defiance Red Cross and the Defiance County Hospice. Cecelia's main focus was on God, faith and family. Her most valued possession was her rosary, which she said many times daily, and also, a main focus was in putting God back into our country.

Cecelia is survived by her daughters, Roseann (Gerald) Meyer of Hicksville, Ruth (Larry) Schafer of Defiance, Karen (David) Mekus of Jewell, Mary Lu (Michael) Willitzer of Defiance; sons, Glen (Diana) Steffel of Defiance, Harold (Susan) Steffel of Defiance, Vic (Rita) Steffel of Defiance, Nick (Mary Ann) Steffel of Sherwood, Edward (Denise) Steffel of Defiance, Donald Steffel of Continental, Ohio; 43 grandchildren; 95 great-grandchildren; and 11 great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gerald; daughter, Rita Slattman; sons, John and Dennis Steffel; brothers, George, Raymond, Charles, Bernard, Clarence and Gilbert Hesselschwardt; sisters, Cora Batt, Agnes Kunesh, Rosa Batt, Anna Shinninger and Matilda Wallen.

Visitation will be held from 2-8 p.m. Friday, February 14, 2014, at Schaffer Funeral Home, Defiance, with a vigil service at 2 p.m. and a rosary service at 2:15 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, February 15, 2014, at St. Michael's Catholic Church, Defiance, with Father Robert Kill and Father Anthony Batt officiating. Burial will follow in St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery