Joe Lehman Myers

Joe Lehman Myer was born in Lancaster, PA on December 14, 1950 to Caleb Hershey Myer and Eleanor Lehman Myer, and passed away on May 29th 2026 at 6:12pm.

Joe grew up in Lancaster County attending the Lancaster Church of the Brethren, Hempfield High School, and Elizabethtown College. He enjoyed the Career & College Sunday School Class where he first met his future wife Donna. Later he received his MBA from Delaware State University. After college, Joe joined Brethren Volunteer Service and served Freedom Village in the Mississippi Delta working to provide affordable housing and community services to former plantation workers. This is where he received his baptism into affordable housing and community development. After two years when his volunteer service ended, Joe worked for Delta Housing building self-help housing, affordable apartments, and the County's first Title XX day care center. In 1976, Joe joined Jeanine Kleimo in an effort to start NCALL (now NeighborGood Partners) in Dover, DE as a Housing Specialist and in 1981 became Executive Director and served 37 years through 2018 where he helped to grow this nonprofit providing rental, homeownership, lending, self-help housing, education, and Restoring Central Dover services. Joe really loved NCALL's employees and Board members and enjoyed the quality fellowship. He said it allowed him to "put his faith into action". As part of his career, Joe helped found the Delaware Housing Coalition, and served on the state Council of Housing where he was known as a strong and vocal advocate. He retired at 68 and then did some consulting work with NeighborGood Partner's self-help and development teams at a relaxed pace. Joe volunteered as Treasurer of the Board for Housing Alliance Delaware and was a member of the Delaware Affordable Housing Coalition. He also served on the Board of the National Rural Housing Coalition and as past president. NCALL had a huge impact on affordable housing and community development on Delmarva serving thousands each year during Joe's tenure.

You get an idea of Joe's passions by the magazines he subscribed to: MotorTrend, Classic Toy Trains, CORSA Corvair Communique, and the Brethren Messenger. Joe attended the Bethany Church of the Brethren beginning 1976, later becoming Board Chair and a Deacon. He enjoyed cars and owned a 1964 Corvair convertible antique that he showed and drove. He also enjoyed Lionel Trains and had an operating layout over the years. He rooted for Penn State and Eagles football and Phillies baseball. He loved walking the Brecknock and Killens Pond Park trails. His greatest enjoyment was spending time with his sons, Matthew and Daniel, along with Matthew’s wife Nicole and their daughter Emma, and Daniel’s partner Emily, especially when they could play golf together at courses throughout Delaware. Joe was incredibly proud of the men Matt and Dan became and the lives they have built.

He was preceded in death by his father, Caleb; his mother, Eleanor; and his former wife of 23 years, Donna Marie Crispell Myer.

Joe is survived by his sister, Nancy Snyder; his children, Matthew and his wife Nicole, and Daniel and his partner Emily; his granddaughter, Emma; his niece, Kathy Carlis and husband Steve; and his nephew, Dave Snyder and wife Kendra.

Memorial Service will be located at the Bethany Church of the Brethren, 91 School St. Greenwood, DE 19950 on June 27th, 2026, at 10:00am. Please join us in celebrating Joe’s life.

Arrangements entrusted to Szpindor-Meyers Funeral Home

Condolences may be made by visiting www.meyersfh.com