Virginia Lee Steyer

Virginia Lee Steyer (Mager), beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother, peacefully gained her wings on May 30, 2025 at the age of 96, surrounded by three generations of her cherished family.

Born in Pennsylvania, Virginia's family led a simple life. While her older sister, Mary, stayed at home to help their mother around the house, Virginia enjoyed spending time with her father outdoors: hunting, fishing, tending to their farm, and helping to build their family home, a highlight which included blowing the foundation up with dynamite. Her cherished baby brother, Bud, was born when she was 10-completing a tight-knit trio of siblings whose bond would remain strong through the years. Virginia would often share stories of walking the railroad tracks to the store to get an ice cream, weekends at the skating rink, or her special bond with her loving and gentle father. He was the greatest man she ever knew...

At 18, Virginia married Charles "Chuck" Beaver and welcomed her first son, Wayne, followed by her only daughter, Joyce, 7 years later. Life led her down the path of single motherhood, where she tirelessly worked multiple jobs to provide for her children. Joyce has fond memories of going to work with her mother as a little girl. Though they lived in a modest trailer with little to their name, Virginia created a home overflowing with love, warmth, and laughter. To her children, it felt like they had everything.

Virginia later found love again with Dick Steyer, and together they welcomed her youngest son, Michael. The family eventually settled in Shingletown, California, where Virginia once again, was led down the path of single motherhood raising her son Michael and working at Buzz's Crab Shack, Black Butte Elementary, and later the Shingle Shack, where she concluded her working years.

Virginia loved the color purple, road trips, cooking, sewing, crafting, puzzles, old western shows, animals, the $1 store, Hometown Buffet, and most of all-her family. Being a mother was her greatest joy and purpose. Her love for them was fierce, unconditional, and constant. Through good days and hards ones, she always showed up without question. She was the steady hand and open arms her children could always count on. Virginia was affectionately known as "Mom" and "Grammie" not just to her own children, but to her children's friends who found comfort in her home.

Virginia had an extraordinary gift for connection-her loyalty, selflessness, and genuine kindness left lasting impressions on all who crossed her path. Whether helping someone in need or striking up a conversation with a stranger, she left people feeling seen, heard, and loved. She made connections wherever she went. Her heart was always open-her last penny was never too precious to share with someone in need. She had a rare gift for finding joy in the simplest moments. She saw the good in everything and everyone. Whether it was a sunny afternoon, a phone call from family, a shiny red tomato, or a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup, she'd light up and declare it "the best she ever had"- and she meant it. Her ability to savor life's small pleasures was contagious, reminding everyone around her to slow down, smile, and appreciate the little things.

She spent her final 18 years making dear friends at Mercy Oaks independent senior living, before moving in with her daughter Joyce and son-in-law Larry, where she continued to enjoy her favorite things: Sunday morning church followed by breakfast out, her 3 p.m. coffee, traveling, weekends riding on jet ski's and nights on the houseboat, camping, visits with loved ones, and cheering on her great grandchildren at sporting events. Even after being diagnosed with macular degeneration around the age of 65 which led to permanent blindness, Virginia's spirit remained unshaken-she lived independently, never let her loss of vision define her, and continued to live life on her terms. Despite her age and lack of vision, Virginia lived fully. She remained present and engaged with her family until the end.

In her 96 years, Virginia lived through a remarkable span of history-marked by wars, pandemics, and sweeping advancements in medicine, technology, and everyday life. She experienced the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the assassination of JFK, the Vietnam War, the first humans landing on the Moon, the Watergate Scandal, the Gulf War, the 9/11 attacks, and the Iraq War. She witnessed the dawn and evolution of technologies that reshaped the world: from the beginning of radio, television, automobiles, and aviation to the rise of computers, weapons technology, space exploration, mobile phones, video games, VCRs, cassette tapes, CDs, the internet, social media, GPS, digital cameras, wi-fi, electric and self-driving vehicles, and artificial intelligence. In medicine, she lived through the discovery of penicillin, the rollout of vaccines, the development of medical imaging, robotic-assisted surgery, and breakthroughs like the HIV/AIDS crisis response-and endured the tuberculosis, polio, and Covid-19 epidemics. Each era built on the last, shrinking devices, accelerating processing power, and transforming how people communicated, traveled, and lived. But for someone raised in a simpler world, it wasn't always easy to witness so much rapid change. Virginia met it all with resilience. She was frugal, tough as nails, independent, and strong-a woman shaped by a century of challenge and change, who never lost her footing even as the world shifted around her.

Virginia is survived by her loving children: Wayne Beaver (late Carol), Joyce Kleefeld (Larry), and Michael Steyer (Debbie); her cherished grandchildren: Kimberly Kryska (Kevin), Keri Beaver (Andy), Autumn Slote (Darin), Summer Head, Cameron Brown (Sarah), and Zachary Steyer (Bethany); her great-grandchildren: Jacob (33), Joseph (28), Sabrina (31), Kelsee (29), Elizabeth (21), Noah (15), Naveah (11), Brooke (11), Carson (8), and Norah (8 months), and her dear brother, Bud. She was also blessed with eight great-great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her sister Mary Bajgier, daughter-in-laws Carol Beaver and Annie Steyer, grandson David Beaver, great-grandson Joshua Kryska, and great-great grandchildren Kade and Hudson.

Virginia's life was a testament to strength, resilience, generosity, and unconditional love. Her legacy will live on in the hearts and lives of those she held so dear. While our hearts ache in her absence, we find peace in knowing she is in Heaven, reunited with loved ones, watching over us until we reunite in the peace of eternity.

A private Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 16th as we gather to remember and honor a life so beautifully lived.