Lelia Lewis Ace, 96, of State College passed away on December 24, 2022. She was born September 25, 1926 in Springville, PA, daughter of Ned D. Lewis and Beatrice Crisman Lewis. Lelia (Lil) graduated from Springville High School in 1944 and joined the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corp. She received her R.N. degree from Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton, PA in 1947. Her Obstetrics and Pediatric training was at The Cornell Medical Center in New York City.
Lil and Donald L. Ace were married on August 17, 1947. She did private duty nursing in addition to work as a nurse in Tyler Memorial Hospital in Meshoppen, PA. In 1950, she and Donald moved to State College. Lil worked in the hospital in Bellefonte and later was office nurse for Dr. Eugene Mateer. She was a life member of the State College Graduate Nurses Study Club, did volunteer work for Red Cross Bloodmobile and was a 50 plus year member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. In 2003 she and Donald moved to the Village at Penn State.
Lil is survived by her husband, Don; daughters Barbara Smith, Deborah Carson (Bob), and Wendy Dittman (Peter); eight grandchildren: Dan Smith (Alex), Michelle Smith (Chad Laubscher), Bethany Smith (Matt Hoover), Julie Watson (Matt), Dustin Carson (Nicky), Shane Dittman (Allison), Chelsea Jones (Ryan), and Nick Dittman (Kelly); and ten great grandchildren: Liam Smith, Avery Laubscher, Amber Geise (Dustin), Nathan Watson, Kylie and Gavin Carson, Landon, Brody, Chace, and Fiona Dittman.
Lil was preceded in death by sister Jean Lewis Button and brother Myron Lewis. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Centre Volunteers in Medicine or St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.
Funeral services will be private. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Haky/Georgiana Centre County Funeral Home, 1034 Benner Pike, State College, PA. An online guestbook may be signed and condolences left for the family at www.hakygeorgianafh.com.