Judith Steere

Judith Louise Steere died unexpectedly on July 4, 2014 in Kalamazoo, MI at the age of 75. She was born in New York City on August 9, 1938 and was the only child of the brief marriage of her parents. She was raised by her beloved maternal grandparents until the age of six, at which time she moved with her mother and newly-acquired stepfather to Harrisburg, PA. Three years later, her much-loved brother, Robert, was born. Judith's family moved to Miami Beach, FL when Judith was 13 years old. In 1952, she met David Steere, a fellow student at Miami Beach High School, and fell in love with him. His father, Howard Steere purchased WKMI radio station and moved to Kalamazoo in 1953. Judith's family moved to Norfolk, VA in 1955, and she graduated from Granby High School in that city in 1956. After her mother and step-father divorced, Judith moved back to New York City to live with her grandparents. On 1957, she and David were reunited while attending Arizona State University, and in April 1958, they were married. The children of their marriage, Patricia Lynn Steere (now of Houston, TX) Amy Elizabeth Steere Anderson (now of Byron Center, MI) and Timothy David Steere (now of New Orleans, LA) were born in 1963, 1965 and 1967 respectively. They were welcomed and much-loved by David and Judith. One all three children were in school, Judith completed a Bachelor of Science in (clinical) Social Work degree at Florida International University, Miami, FL and subsequently, a Master's Degree in Social Work at Barry University, Miami Shores, FL. Judith's major personal interest was her family; professionally, she was an ardent advocate for children / their well-being through the provision to them/their family members of individual, marital, group and family therapy. During her career, Judith was an adjunct instructor of developmental child psychology at Broward Community College, Davie, FL; Director of Social Services at Hope School for the Developmentally Disabled, Miami, FL; Case Management Supervisor at Gulf Coast Mental Health Center, Gulfport, MS; a civilian employed by the United States Navy on a base in Gulfport, MS, to provide counseling to members of the military and their families. In Kalamazoo, she was a child and family therapist at Lakeside Boys' & Girls' Residence for eight years, and a child and family counselor for the Kalamazoo County Friend of the Court's Office for another eight years. Judith thoroughly enjoyed the work she did. In 1993, David and Judith's sole grandchild, Ashley Nicole Anderson was born to their daughter, Amy, and her then-husband. Ashley's birth provided David and Judith's lives with unimagined dimension, joy and pleasure; both were very much involved with her life and well-being. Judith's interests included golf, bridge (which she enjoyed despite never achieving proficiency), reading, traveling, her Jewish religion, entertaining, friends in the Richland Red Hat Flashes group, other dear friends and their families. She had an abiding faith in God and his goodness, and great love for her family and friends. Nothing was more important to her than her relationships with people. She treasured, valued and had a genuine spirit of nurturance and generosity towards them. She attempted to live by the Golden Rule, and worked hard to evolve into a better person until the end of her life. She felt that she had a very good and full life, enhanced by the love of a wonderful husband, her maternal grandparents, her brother, her children and her granddaughter. She was predeceased by her parents, several step-fathers, her maternal grandparents, her sister-in-law Carolyn Rose, and her husband, David, who died on February 11, 2008. She is survived by children, Patricia Steere, Timothy Steere and Amy Steere Anderson; her granddaughter, Ashley Anderson; her brother, Robert Rose of Virginia Beach, VA; her nephews, Zachary Rose (Dana and children Connor and Emerson) of Ellicott City, MA, and Andrew Rose (Danica and son, Robert) of Newport News, VA. In accordance with her wishes and those of her beloved David's, cremation and a private family service have taken place; their cremains blended together and interred in the Steere family plot at Mt. Ever-Rest Memorial Park South, Kalamazoo. Contributions in Judith's memory may be made to a charity of one's choice or to Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes. Please share a memory or sign the guest book at www.avinkcremation.com.