Novella Arlene Steffey

Swing Dancing in the Heavens
Novella Arlene Steffey, age 89, passed away peacefully November 12, 2019 due to lung cancer. She was born April 22, 1930 in Zurich, Kansas to Flora and O.C. Ouderkirk. While attending Meridan High School in Idaho, a dashing bad boy with the swagger of a sailor swept her off her feet swing dancing. Junior F. Steffey later became her husband on December 5, 1948. Throughout their dancing lives she complimented his flamboyant style with a classic grace. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend to all whose lives she touched.
She treasured her children and embraced every moment with them. She especially loved her role as Grandma and Great Grandma. She had a vivacious personality and always made people around her laugh. She made friends everywhere she went. All who loved her dearly will never forget her tenacity, wit, charm, grace (when she deemed it necessary), and undying love and caring for them.
She always told you the truth even if it wasn't what you wanted to hear. Her policy of sugar coating nothing was one of her most ferocious and endearing qualities, and her lion heart is a trait her family endeavors to emulate in their own lives.
She was a master cook in the kitchen of foods from her Midwest roots: homemade noodles, dumplings, cinnamon rolls, fried chicken and tomato gravy with biscuits, and her famous dinner rolls. She had requests for these delicious foods to be made at all holidays, birthdays and by request were shipped as far as Alaska and North Carolina!
Her talents extended from the kitchen to the sewing room. Her love was stitched into the seams of every Halloween and school play costume made for her grandchildren and great grandchildren, every baby item crocheted for a new parent (whether family or friend), and even dresses sewn for the Snoqulamie Valley Girls Choir, in which her granddaughters sang. She was a seamstress extraordinaire!
She committed over 20 years to volunteering at her local senior center's Crafters Gallery in Kirkland and Redmond, where she made many wonderful friends.
She loved to travel the great USA, visiting her extended family across the country, and took many road trips with her beloved friend Carolyn. She was always willing and excited to experience anything - as long as it wasn't on a lake, river or ocean. And she never missed an opportunity to belly up to a wine tasting bar… or any bar.
Whenever possible, you would find her cheering (or loudly critiquing) at a Hawks Nest game party or sitting in the stands to watch the Seattle Storm.
She was the beloved mother of Frankie, LaDell, Leanore and Lance, a proud grandmother to Jake, Chelsee, Chris, Cameron, Grace, and Holly, and great grandmother to Morgahn, Wyatt, Heartley, Piper, Cash, Colton, Claire, and Rylee. She was loved by many nieces, nephews and cousins as well.
Novella and JR are back together swing dancing in the heavens. Please give generously "in tribute" to your favorite foundation. Celebration of Life gathering to be announced at a later date.