Lorena May Steele "Estella" Stahr

Lorena "Estella" May Steele Stahr

PORTAGE, Mich.

Lorena "Estella" May Steele Stahr, 83 of Portage, Michigan, went to dance with her Lord on June 1, 2022. Estella was born on Friday, April 28, 1939, at the Steele home in Blountville, Tennessee, to Charles Steele and Maude Countiss; "Friday's child is loving and giving".

After graduating from Blountville High School in 1957, she left for Washington D.C., and worked as a secretary for the Navy at the Pentagon. She was fortunate to be a stay-at-home Mom to raise her children. Later in life she was a volunteer with Hospice of Kalamazoo and a Legal Secretary/Assistant for many years. While she never actually opened a bakery, she made many people's lives better through her love of baking, cooking and sharing her treats and talents with others. Estella loved reading, learning, baking, kitty cats, Honeysuckle, the season of Spring, her grandchildren, and most of all, her Lord Jesus Christ.

She is survived by her son, Barry Stahr of Vicksburg, Mich.; her daughter, Valerie (Tom) Lunarde of Plainwell, Mich.; beloved grandsons, Russell Stahr, David (Michelle) Stahr, and Jake Lunarde; special "adopted" daughter, Esther (Jeff) Blackmore of Minnesota; grandchildren, Catherine and Joshua Blackmore; brothers, Charles Arthur (Alice) Steele of Baton Rouge, La., and Edward William Steele of Atlanta, Ga., many beloved nieces and nephews; her special friends and church family throughout the years are too numerous to name. She loved you all absolutely, and her life was better with you in it. You were and are a blessing to her always. Estella was preceded in death by her father, Charles Steele; mother, Maude Countiss; stepfather, Frank Countiss; brothers, Lloyd Franklin Steele and John Henry Steele; sister, Mary Elizabeth (Betty Deen) Stevens; and lifelong friend, Joanie Miller.

Cremation has taken place. Her Celebration of Life will be held at First Baptist Church, 1133 E Centre Ave, Portage, MI 49002, Sunday, June 12, 2022, at 3 p.m. A visitation and celebration with the family will be held from 1:30 until 3 p.m., prior to the service. Estella will be interred at a later date at the family cemetery in Bristol, Tennessee.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Baptist Church, c/o the funeral home. Family and friends may share a condolences message online at www.joldersma-klein.com, (269) 343-2628.

Joldersma & Klein Funeral Home

917 S. Burdick Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49001