Lucile "Lucy" May Steffen

Lucile May “Lucy” Steffen, daughter of Gilbert Levi and May Rowena (Schlosser) Olson, was born August 15, 1929 in Ruthven, Iowa. She spent her early childhood years in the Lost Island Lake area and attended Lake Center School. She and her parents moved to Spencer where Lucy continued her schooling and worked part-time for a Spencer family starting at age 11, and at age 14, she worked as a clerk at Woolworths. Upon graduation from Spencer High School in 1946, Lucy was employed as an operator for the Spencer Telephone Company.

Lucy dated and fell in love with Donald “Doodle” Steffen, after meeting at area dances, and following their marriage on June 5, 1949, they built a home and farmed near Rossie. She was a hardworking farm wife and mother of four children. She supported the kids’ many school, church, 4-H, and FFA activities, and served as a leader for the Lincoln Lassies 4-H Club for five years. The Clay County Fair was the highlight of many Steffen years!

Lucy was an active member of the Rossie United Church of Christ, where she was treasurer of the Women’s Fellowship for 25+ years and involved in all church events, such as God’s Portion sales and ice cream socials. Lucy and Doodle built a new home and moved to Spencer in 1995. After the closing of the Rossie church in 2003, she and Doodle joined the First Congregational Church in Spencer where she not only participated in many church projects but hosted the weekly Bible study group in her home for many years.

Lucy became an avid quilter, making over fifty beautiful full-size quilts and dozens of smaller projects for family and friends. From 1985-2006, Lucy and Doodle spent some of their winter months in Mesa, AZ and enjoyed their friends at Valle Del Oro Resort. After Doodle’s passing in 2007, Lucy did some additional traveling to many destinations near and far, including South Africa.

Lucy passed away on October 18, 2023 at her home in Northshire Care Center at the age of 94. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Dewey and Calvin, her husband, and son, Terry. Her memory is cherished by her children and their spouses: Jay and Muriel (Murt) of Everly, Marcia of Linn Grove, Cory and Susan of Linn Grove, and Connie and Donovan Prinsloo of Ames; thirteen grandchildren: Heather, Tessa, Tye (Lisa), Kate, Heidi (Paul Mogush), Jessob (Jenna), Kylara, Megan, Ian, and Russell (Kayla), Matthew, Spencer, and Benjamin Prinsloo; six great grandchildren, Benjamin and Gilbert Mogush, Jackson and Jameson Steffen, and Lucy and Sally Androski; as well as many other family members and friends.

In lieu of flowers, please send condolences to:

Lucile Steffen Memorial

c/o Connie Steffen

5218 Windrose Ln

Ames, IA 50014