Anna Steinhofel

Anna Steinhofel

Anna Steinhofel of Charlottesville, Virginia, died on Friday, December 3, 2010.

She was born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania, on October 16, 1915, to Andrew and Anna Jariabka.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Emil Jariabko; and her husband, Paul R. Steinhofel.

She is survived by her daughter, Carol Maslow, and son-in-law, A. R. "Bob" Maslow, of Crozet, Virginia; her son, Allen Steinhofel of Roseville, California; her brother, Ivan "Jerry" Jariabka and his wife, Martha, of Sharon, Wisconsin; her sister-in-law, Helen Jariabko of Chicago; grandson, Erik Lundberg and his wife, Deborah Finzen, of Larkspur, California; and great-grandchildren, Ellyson Anne and Tyler James Lundberg; and many nieces and nephews, their children and grandchildren, to cherish her memory and legacy.

Anna grew up balancing her love of nature with her love of books, the latter fueled by countless trips to the Carnegie Library. After high school graduation in Duquesne, she moved to Chicago, in the midst of the Great Depression, found work in retail, met and married Paul Steinhofel.

Anna taught him to dance (another of her passions), and he shared with her his enthusiasm for travel, first by train, for he was a railroad man, and later by plane and cruise ship. After raising their children, working as an executive secretary to the vice president of C. P. Clare and Company, being active in Cub Scouts, the community, and Nebo Lutheran Church, Anna and Paul retired to Dunedin, Florida, where she lived for 25 five years. She was known as the "flower lady" of her condominium complex, tenderly planting outdoors and nurturing all the potted plants she and her neighbors received as gifts.

Anna traveled the world, Hawaii, Alaska, British Columbia, California, Paris, the Scandinavian countries, Russia, Argentina and Brazil. At 86, Anna put away her suitcases, gardening gloves and tools, and moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, to be near her daughter and son-in-law. Since then, Anna has been a resident of Our Lady of Peace, in assisted living. She participated in that retirement community's activities with gusto and urged others to join in the fun. Sing alongs and musical events were her number one favorite.

She will be remembered for her ready smile, her sense of humor, her way with animals and children, how she made friends, and created or joyfully discovered beauty in all her present moments, and for passing on the delights of keeping Christmas to all her descendants.

Family and friends will hold memorial services in California and Chicago at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest that memorial donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 1160 Pepsi Place, Suite 306, Charlottesville, VA 22901, the SPCA 3355 Berkmar Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22901, or to Hospice of the Piedmont, 675 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 300, Charlottesville, VA 22911.

Anderson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.