NATCHEZ — The funeral Mass for Jennifer Dale Steckler, who died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007, at Natchez Regional Medical Center, will be at 2 p.m. today at St. Mary Basilica with the Rev. David O’Connor officiating.

The Rite to Christian Burial will follow at Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Miss Steckler was born March 11, 1975, the fifth child and third daughter of Dale Holloway Steckler and Dr. David Robert Steckler.

Miss Steckler graduated from Cathedral School in 1993, representing the student body as Student Council president and homecoming queen. She was equally active in the Natchez community serving on the Mayor’s Youth Council, volunteering for Stewpot and tutoring for Holy Family Catholic School and St. Mary’s Catholic Youth Organization.

Miss Steckler attended Mississippi State University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in International Business in 1998. While at Mississippi State, she was an active student, serving as secretary for Mississippi State University Student Association, president of Chi Omega Sorority and secretary and treasurer of Mississippi State University’s chapter of Ducks Unlimited. She represented the Mississippi State University as a Roadrunner, a Student Recruiting Officer, Pan-Hellenic Representative and an executive council member of the Catholic Student Association. Jennifer was also a member of Mortar Board and Order of Omega honorees, College Republicans and International Business Club. In 1996, Miss Steckler was honored to be voted Miss Mississippi State University by the student body. Also while attending the University, she completed internships with the office of Congressman Charles Pickering in Washington, D.C. with Federal Express in Melsbroek, Belgium, and with Comercard S.A. in San Jose, Costa Rica.

She was employed by Citigroup Financial in Tampa as a Financial Analyst and Management Associate, in Long Island, N.Y. as customer service representative and manager of human resources for North American Operations, and in Silver Spring, Md. as assistant vice president of Organizational Leadership and technology Development.

Miss Steckler also received her master’s degree in Economic Development from the University of Southern Mississippi, after which she completed internships with the Center of Community and Economic Development in Hattiesburg and the Southwest Mississippi Partnership in Natchez. She was employed with the Tennessee Tomorrow, an economic development consulting group in Nashville, Tenn.

She was preceded in death by her father; and brother, Jon Stephen Steckler.

Survivors include her mother, Dale Holloway Steckler; maternal grandmother, Iris Letort Holloway; brothers, David Robert, Gerrit Joseph, Wesley Richard and Mark Andrew Steckler; and sisters, Stephanie Steckler Bryson, Suzanne Marie and Mary Margaret Steckler.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jon Stephen Steckler Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1402, Natchez, MS 39121 or call 601-442-4823.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.lairdfh.com.