Virginia Irving Steigerwald of DeWitt passed away on Monday May 25, 2015. She was the daughter of Syracuse obstetrician Dr. Francis R. Irving who passed away in 1950 and Florence Welch Irving Stover who died in 1978. Her husband of almost fifty years, Louis J. Steigerwald Jr. died in 2001. Mrs. Steigerwald graduated from the Goodyear-Burlingame School where she was president of her Senior class and received a B.S. degree from Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont. Following her college graduation she taught school in Paauilo, Hawaii in 1947 and 1948, then returned to Syracuse to raise a family.
Mrs. Steigerwald spent many years as a volunteer in the Syracuse community, serving on the Executive Board of Huntington Family Center, Meals on Wheels, Everson Museum Members Council, the Volunteer Center, the Boys Club of Syracuse, the Junior League of Syracuse, and Community General Hospital Auxiliary. She was also a member of the Education and Advisory Committee of Oasis.
Mrs. Steigerwald had a lifetime love for tennis, golf, sailing and skiing, a passionate reader she enjoyed her Tuesday Book Club. She enjoyed traveling and spending summers at her family’s camp on Fourth Lake in the Adirondacks. She was a member of the Century Club and an Honorary Member of the Onondaga Golf and Country Club.
In addition to her husband Louis, she was predeceased by her brothers Francis and Walter Irving, her sister-in-law Jane Benham Irving and brother-in-law Neal McCurn.
She is survived by three children, her daughter Martha Kirsche (Stephen) of Wethersfield, Connecticut, and two sons, Louis J. Steigerwald III (Mary) of Fayetteville and Mark F. Steigerwald (Elizabeth) of Fayetteville; eight grandchildren Stephen (Sharon) Kirsche, Melissa (Brandon) Albright, Rebecca (Stephen) Weaver, Laura (Patrick Hart – fiancé) Kirsche, Katharine (Adam) Kosmicki, Amy, L. John IV and Virginia A. Steigerwald; and nine great-grandchildren Lucas and Rowan Kirsche, Abigail, Madelyn and Elliot Albright, Avery, Seth and Neilan Weaver, and Alexandra Kosmicki. She is also survived by her sister Nancy McCurn of Syracuse, her sister-in-law Jane Gill Irving of Latham, New York and her brother-in-law Francis (Patricia) Steigerwald.
The family would like to thank Sylvia, Jane, Wanda and Brenda of Options who took wonderful care of their mother.
Calling Hours will be held Sunday May 31st from 4 to 7 p.m. at Eaton-Tubbs Fayetteville Chapel, 8171 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville. A funeral Mass will be held at Holy Cross Church, 4112 E. Genesee St, DeWitt on Monday June 1st at 10:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in her memory to the Francis House, 108 Michaels Ave. Syracuse, NY 13208, or Holy Cross Church 4112 E. Genesee St, DeWitt, NY 13214.