99-Year-Old North Wales Woman, Lifelong Area Resident, Passes Away

Obituary via Huff and Lakjer Funeral Home

LANSDALE, PA -- Minerva F. Anton, 99, of North Wales, went home to her Lord Tuesday, February 7, 2017. She would have been 100 years old on May 1st.

Minerva was the wife of the late Walter W. Anton, who died January 28, 2005.

Born Philadelphia on May 1, 1917, she was the daughter of Alfred Karl Wilhelm Balkie and Lillian (Lederer) Balkie. She was baptized on June 3, 1917 at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Philadelphia. She was confirmed on June 20, 1931 at St. Matthew’s.

Minerva was one of four children. She had two brothers Alfred and Lester and a sister Lillian (who died as a child). Family was always very important to her, and she was very close to her brothers and their wives and to her other sisters-in-laws and brothers-in-law, and their families. She was looking forward to celebrating her 100th birthday on May 1st with her younger sister-in-law, Alfred’s wife Johanna, who will celebrate her 100th birthday on May 16, 2017. She and Minerva were friends since the 7th grade.

On January 31, 1935 she graduated from Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia. After graduating from high school, she attended business school and began her career at H.J. Heinz Company as a secretary.

On June 27, 1942 she married Walter Anton at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church. Walter insisted that before they married they had to save up and purchase all of the furnishings for their new home. All of these furnishings cost a total of $509.50 Walter and Minerva were married for over 62 years.

After marrying Walt and starting a family, she was proud to say her job was a housewife and mother. Once her children were in school, she worked part-time in various retail businesses with her favorite being florists. She loved working with flowers, a job she learned in Campbellsville, Kentucky where Walt was stationed in the Army, before shipping out to Europe during WWII. She also enjoyed her many years as a local Avon Lady. She was also active in the PTA and throughout much of her life at her Church.

Minerva was happiest when she was with her family including her children Bob, Bill, and Joan and their spouses Lauren and Betty; her grandchildren Adam, Matt, Michael (who died as an infant), Karen, Rob, Daniel and her step-grandchildren Brad and Doug. Great grandchildren were the most recent loves of her life. They include Owen, Emily, Riley, Reagan, Vivienne, Jack, Kai, Grant, Harvey and Ava.

Her hobbies included crocheting, sewing, needlepoint, reading, and word puzzles. She spent many hours reading books about the Amish and doing puzzles until her eyesight began to fail well into her 90’s.

A viewing will be held after 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 11, 2017 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1000 W. Main St., Lansdale, followed by the Funeral Service at 2:00 p.m. Burial will be private in Hillside Cemetery, Roslyn. Arrangements are by the Huff & Lakjer Funeral Home, Lansdale.

Patch file photo