Caroline Steva
August 15, 1929 - December 22, 2017
Obituary
STOUGHTON- Caroline Grether Steva, age 88, of Stoughton, Wis., passed away on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017. Born in Sheboygan, Wis., Caroline received her MFA from UW Madison, and later worked as an art teacher in New Glarus Schools, nature guide at the Madison School Forest, Century House, and was a member of the Madison Potter’s Guild. Caroline and husband, Carl, raised three sons, Matthew, David, and Jonathan. Caroline was known and loved for the joy and passion she held for nature and the outdoors (especially birds and plants), for her pottery and stained glass work, as well as her love for family and friends. She was an avid reader and lifelong learner, she always had a "who done it" or a word puzzle close by. Whether it was a short drive in the country, extended road trip, or visits to Mexico, England or Costa Rica, she and Carl enjoyed “gallivanting” together. Spending their winters in their beloved Ajo, Arizona was the highlight of their retirement. Caroline is survived by her two sons, Matthew (Lisa) Steva, and Jonathan (Kevin) Steva; six grandchildren, Adam, Ryan, Caitlin, Naomi, Onnolee, and Gracie; and five great-grandchildren, Mickeal, Leah, Caroline, Evelyn, and Alice. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Carl; son, David; and her siblings. A Celebration of Life service will be held at the SKAALEN CLUB HOUSE, 1126 Ridge St., Stoughton, Wis., at 2 p.m., on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.
Events
Celebration of Life
Sat Jan 6, 2018 @ 2:00 PM CDT
Skaalen Club House • 1126 Ridge St., Stoughton, WI 53589
Photos
No photos of Caroline have been shared yet.
Memories
BH
Bill Hoesly
Other •
As a former art student in New Glarus during the sixties, I would like to express my sympathy. In a person's education, there are teachers that stand out and my Mrs. Steva was one of those teachers. She not only taught art but taught life and made you think. She encouraged me to apply for a scholarship to a Summer art camp at UW Wausau which was something I will remember forever and still have the artwork I did while there. I suspect you will hear from many former students and just wanted you to know why, after almost 50 years, I still remember a great teacher. My sympathy at this time while celebrating her life.
Bill Hoesly
JG
Judy Grether
Other •
As one of Caroline's nieces, I was fortunate to get to see Caroline and Carl quite a number of times over the past 20 or so years. We had wonderful adventures together in both Ajo and Wisconsin, seeing the countryside, traveling to the desert and across the border into Mexico when I visited them in Arizona, and telling all sorts of family stories (mostly Caroline telling and me listening, since she was a great story teller). Both Caroline and Carl were endearing role models as elders who stayed active and engaged in life, caring for others, devoted to their three generations of offspring and their families, and taking delight in the beauty of nature and artistic endeavors. I will greatly miss my visits and "gallivanting around" with them. With Caroline's passing, I have lost one of my cherished friends and the last member of that generation.
KP
Kathy and Frank Parkel
Other •
My wife and I just moved into Vennevoll in May this past year and we first met Caroline when she stopped over to see us. What caught her eye from the street was one of my welded steel sculptures with stained glass incorporated with the metal. My wife and I were both art teachers so we had a lot in common to talk about. We winter in Green Valley Arizona and she told us about living In Ajo and how she loved it there. We planned to stop over and visit her late Fall, but she was off for her trip South. We will miss her coming down the street in her electric wheelchair and stopping in for a conversation. She was such a vibrant person taken too early in life. We felt bad that we could not make it to her memorial at the Skaalen club house to meet her family and loved ones but Kathy and I were both sick. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you in her family. God Bless.
Kathy and Frank Parkel