Joanne Saxe

1943 - 2025

Joanne Saxe
04/22/2025
Joanne Saxe, born May 30, 1943 in San Francisco, to Greta Steigerwald and Paul Stuehler, died Tuesday, April 22. A loving wife to Steven Saxe and mother to Julie Saxe-Taller (Michael) and Jeffrey Saxe (Jaimee), Jo dedicated her life to building understanding between people, both through inclusion and interfaith work in Marin County. Having grown up in San Francisco as the daughter of refugees from Germany during the Second World War, she empathized with the stranger and had a passion for repairing the world. She could always be counted on to speak out for justice during her decades of service through multiple boards and committees, most of all as a Marin Community Foundation Trustee, leading the Marin Interfaith Council, on the Jewish Community Relations Council, as a board member of Congregation Rodef Sholom in San Rafael, and active with Jewish Family and Children's Services.
She and Steve were active leaders in Creative Initiative Foundation, building a community dedicated to pursuit of worldwide peace through building and healing relationships.
She directed Green Circle, a program of the Nat'l Conference of Christians and Jews, teaching diversity and inclusion to elementary students throughout Marin. She also loved tutoring special education students of all ages.
Joanne attended Lincoln High and got her BA from UC Berkeley and MA in Special Ed from SF State. She and Steve met as BBYO teens and were married in 1964. With Steve she built a loving family, including grandchildren Sam Saxe-Taller and Shoshana, Aaron and Jonah Saxe.
Jo loved playing tennis, being silly, connecting with children, camping with her family, traveling the world with Steve and close friends. She continued to sing with gusto until the very end of her battle with Alzheimer's.
The funeral will be held Friday 4/25/25, 10:30 a.m. at Rodef Sholom in San Rafael. The family invites contributions in Joanne's memory to Congregation Rodef Sholom, Standing Together (Israelis and Palestinians organizing for a shared future), or a charity of your choice.