Cecelia C. Muench

Cecelia “Celie” Muench, 94, of Pottsville, passed away peacefully Monday, October 25, 2021, at Providence Place in Pottsville.

Celie was born September 18, 1927 in Pottsville and was the daughter of the late Gust and Ethel (Capetanakis) Catsampas. Celie was one hundred percent Greek and very proud of her heritage. She was the loving wife of Russell E. Muench Jr. who passed away on September 2, 1998. They married on September 27, 1952.

In addition to her parents and her husband, Celie was preceded in death by an infant sister, Ethel in 1932, and too many to be named four-legged furry companions who she loved and who loved her.

Celie graduated from Pottsville High School in 1944 at the age of 16. She also attended Ford School of Business and attended Penn State University. Celie and Russ owned and operated Muench and Co. Public Accountants and enjoyed working and serving their clients together for over 40 years.

Celie had a voracious appetite for knowledge and loved to read, sometimes going through a book a day, in all types of genre. She loved to learn and share her knowledge and could hold a conversation with any one on many subjects.

She was a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Pottsville, the former Pottsville Club, and served on the Board of Directors for the Pottsville Free Public Library and Hillside SPCA.

Celie was a devoted mother and found great joy in helping her children study for tests and sharing in their educational and vocational pursuits. She found great joy in partaking in the events that brought joy to her family. But that is not to say that Celie did not have passions and pursuits of her own.

She was the greatest animal lover imaginable. She would do just about anything to aid an animal found in a desperate situation and she found many such animals in need and would not rest until they were cared for, usually at her own expense, or she had helped them find a home. Often that home was Celie’s home, and Russ supported her and shared her joy in saving, protecting and re-homing animals.

One of Celie’s proudest accomplishments was being part of a group of animal lovers who revived a struggling Hillside SPCA in the early 1980’s. She was proud to be able to look at the shelter in the present day and see the good that they do and be able to feel she had a large part in Hillside growing and being of service to the homeless and unwanted dogs and cats of Schuylkill County.

Celie is survived by her daughter, Kristina Pope(wife of the late William Pope) of Pottsville, a son Stephen D Muench(husband of Desiree) of Pottsville, and a son Peter J Muench(Sandra) of Basel, Switzerland; and grandchildren Robin Pope of Charleston, SC, Ben Pope(Meghan) of Bel Air, MD, Nicholas Muench, Christopher Muench and Grace Muench all of Pottsville. And her most recent star, her great-grandson, Dylan Pope, Bel Air MD. Also surviving is her cat, Poohbear.

Services will be private. James Humphrey Funeral Home in Pottsville is in charge of the arrangements. In honor of Celie, the family would prefer donations be made in her memory to one of the following organizations: Red Creek Wildlife Center, Schuylkill Haven, Hillside SPCA, Pottsville, Ruth Steinert Memorial SPCA Pine Grove, or Trinity Episcopal Church in Pottsville.

Please share your memories and condolences with Celie's family by signing the guest book at www.jehumphreyfuneralhome.com