EWTN mourns passing of Deacon Steltemeier, founding president

This is sad news indeed. Deacon Bill was a dear man who will be missed by Mother Angelica, all those connected with EWTN, and by the viewers. May perpetual light shine upon him and may he rest in peace. My deepest condolences go out to his wife and family.

Irondale, Ala., Feb 15, 2013 / 06:49 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Deacon R. William Steltemeier, Jr., founding president of the Eternal Word Television Network, died in Hanceville, Ala. on Feb. 15 at the age of 83 after a lengthy illness.


Michael P. Warsaw, current network president and CEO, called Deacon Steltemeier “a man of incredible faithfulness,” noting that only EWTN founder Mother Angelica was more closely associated with the network.

“As a husband, a father, an attorney and in his vocation as a permanent deacon, Bill always remained focused on serving God and serving others,” Warsaw said.

“He devoted himself totally to Mother Angelica’s mission and sacrificed all he had to help her build EWTN into the tremendous vehicle for evangelization that it has become.”

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