Gene Woodfin Steussy
Gene Woodfin Steussy passed away at midnight on Tuesday, June 5th. She died peacefully, surrounded by her five children. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Calvin N Steussy.
Gene was born in 1921 in Richmond, Virginia. Raised as an only child, her father died in her infancy from tuberculosis, most likely contracted while serving in the Marine Corps in Cuba. Raised by her single mother, Gene was a very active girl who loved sports. She swam and played tennis and baseball with all the boys in the neighborhood.
As a young adult, she played field hockey up and down the east coast as a right half-back, and coached at Westhampton College. In college, she studied physical education and in 1947 was drawn away from the south to the University of Wisconsin where the field of kinesiology was just being born. There she met Calvin, went on to support him throughout medical school and residency and internships until finally settling in New Castle, Indiana where they raised their five children. Gene managed Calvin’s business affairs related to his thriving practice wherein she became a very early proponent of computers and technology.
She also developed a love of travel, games and photography. She and Calvin traveled all over the world, mostly to Europe almost every year for twenty years. Her love of sports, games and competition never wavered. Until her final days, she could still play a competitive game of Scrabble on her iPad and loved following her Cubs, the PGA and, of course, her Indianapolis Colts and Wisconsin Badgers.
Gene is survived by Cally Parkinson (Rich) of Long Grove Ill., Nic (Marti) of Indianapolis, Helen (Tom Williams) of Fishers, Ed (Gabi) of Davis, CA. and Chris (Norma Pizarro) of La Mesa CA, 15 grandchildren and one great-grandson.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Gene’s name to Willow Creek Community Church, 67 E. Algonquin Road, South Barrington, IL. 60010.
Inurnment services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 30, 2012 at the Swiss Church Cemetery in New Glarus, WI.
An online memorial is available at www.bealfuneralhomes.com
COPYRIGHT 2023 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
