Mary Jo Steger
73, Leavenworth
Mary Jo Steger, 73, of rural Leavenworth, died peacefully at home on Friday, Aug. 27, 2010.
She was born in Washington, DC on June 19, 1937, the daughter of John and Emma Denise Butler. Her earliest memories were of life in the Dominican Republic where her father was a Naval Attaché. Her family returned to Quantico, Va., in 1943 where Mary Jo entered 1st grade. In early 1944 her dad was transferred to Camp Pendleton, Calif., where the 5th Marine Division was being prepared for action in the Pacific. The family lived in Coronado during her father’s deployment. When her father was killed in action on Iwo Jima, her mother resettled the family in Ft. Myers, Fla., with the help of Mary Jo’s maternal grandparents, Denise reared her four children on the Caloosahatchee River in a beautiful old riverside home surrounded by live oaks, hanging moss and palm trees. Their social life revolved around their parish and parochial grammar school, St. Francis Xavier. Mary Jo’s high school years were spent at Rosarian Academy in West Palm Beach, Fla., where she graduated in 1955. Mary Jo met her husband to be, George Fletcher Steger, at Springhill College in Mobile, Ala. They were married at St. Francis Xavier Church in Ft. Myers, Fla., on December 28, 1957. They spent 27 years as an army family with their five children, 11 of which were in Europe. They came to Leavenworth for Col. Steger’s final assignment in 1980. They had a wonderful celebration of 50 years of marriage in 2007. While her husband began a second career as a professor at the University of Saint Mary in 1983, Mary Jo worked for St. Ignatius parish at Ft. Leavenworth for 10 years before becoming a caregiver for George’s mother and then later for her own mother. She was active in prison ministry with her husband for over 30 years. Family and friends provided her greatest joy.
She was preceded in death by her father and mother, her mother-in-law Maude Steger, and her infant daughter Lisa Denise.
She is survived by her husband, George; her daughter, Angela and husband Gerhard Glomm of Bloomington, Ind., her son Stephen and wife Stacey Steger of Guatemala City, Guatemala, Kathryn Steger of Washington, DC, her son Timothy and wife Jane Steger of Lake Arrowhead, Calif., and son Benjamin Steger of Arlington, Va.; brothers, John Butler and wife Kathi, Morey Butler and wife Jeanette, Clinton Butler and wife Leigh; her six grandchildren, Matthew, Anthony and Claire Glomm, Jackson and Samantha Steger, and Vincent Steger.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30, 2010, with a vigil service at 7 p.m., at St. Francis de Sales Hall. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010, at St. Francis de Sales Church with Rev. Edward Hays as celebrant. Burial will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery at St. Joseph of the Valley Church. Arrangement by R.L. Leintz Funeral Home.
