Kathleen Sue (Steinen) Lewis passed away peacefully in her sleep January 1st, 2022 at Christian Park Healthcare Center. Kathy was born August 30th, 1933 to Peter and Lillian (Smith) Steinen and graduated from Jeffers High School in Painsdale, Michigan. She is survived by her husband of 46 years, Earl (Skip) Lewis, of Rapid River. She is also survived by their children, Danielle (Michael) Lebeau, Nancy (Kiyoshi) Poynter, Jim (Sandy) Schutz, Carol (Heidi) Leece, Linda (Tony) Raney, Debbie (Doug) Van Gemert and Barbara (Tom) Rose. She leaves behind a legacy with 78 grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by two grandchildren Cora Louise Raney and Rachel Elizabeth Browne, her parents, three brothers and two sisters.
Kathy enjoyed the sunny outdoors and spent many summer weekends at Round Lake and winter weekends snowmobiling throughout the Upper Peninsula. She worked for the Social Security Administration and following her retirement, wintered in Biloxi, Mississippi with Skip in their travel trailer. She was an avid blackjack tournament player, winning several tournaments. She would often be seen eating a half an egg salad sandwich with a cup of chili for lunch at Jack’s in Rapid River. She loved her daily walks and will be dearly missed by everyone who knew her. Wherever she traveled, wherever she lived, the Copper Country was always her home.
Family will receive friends on Friday, January 7, 2022 from 5:00 until 7:00 PM at Skradski Funeral Home in Gladstone. Visitation will continue Saturday, January 8, 2022 from 10:00 until 11:00 AM at Calvary Lutheran Church in Rapid River. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 AM at Calvary Lutheran Church with Pastor Stephen Gauger officiating. A luncheon will follow in the church hall. An internment will take place at the Gardens of Rest Cemetery in the Spring. The Skradski Family Funeral Homes of Delta County are assisting the Lewis family.
Lisa & Dennis Menard - Escanaba (28), MI
Dani & family, Our thoughts & prayers are with all of you. Your mom was a wonderful woman. She had such a beautiful smile& she cared for all.
Love & prayers to all
Kathy Maynard - Gladstone, Mi
Skip and family..our thoughts and prayers are with you. May Kathy RIP.
Gary and Kathy Maynard
Lynn Sattem - Bark River, Mi
Dani, My thoughts are with you…Prayers for you and the family. RIP sweet lady♥️
Kenneth Smith - Plano, TX
To Kathy’s family, I’m one of many people blessed to know her in Biloxi. Her warm smile will be remembered by us all, and she will be sorely missed at the tournaments that she so enjoyed.
Skip, our thoughts are with you.
Mary Schram - Tarpon Springs , Fl
Dani, Skip, & family, so sorry for your loss. I loved working with your mom at Social Security. She was a great mentor. Jeff & I saw her & Skip at Jack’s occasionally. She will be missed.
Susan Sundstrom-Young - Gladstone, MI
Jim, Dani and family-
I’m so sorry for your loss. I remember your mom’s smile and love for her children! So hard to lose loved ones, especially during the holidays.
Oh Jim, we share so much, now this as well. New Year’s Day was forever changed for me 19 years ago. My heart aches for you all. ❤️
Kim Mosier - Escanaba , Mi
Dani and family,
I am so very sorry for your loss. Losing a mother is so hard. Hugs and prayers.
Sheriff Gary Carlson (Ret) - Escanaba, MI
Skip my friend, condolences to you and your entire family. May these painful days pass quickly and leave with only sweet memories of the life you had together.
Bob Steinen - Abingdon, MD
My Aunt “Kack” was my Dad’s little sister and the last of the six children of Peter and Lillian “Smith” Steinen. When my family would vacation at Twin Lakes in Houghton County by renting a cottage every summer, “Kack” would travel up from Escanaba for one day. In addition to seeing everyone her goal was always to lay out in the sun and get a sunburn. Later in life she and Skip would always stop in the nursing home where my parents were living in central Illinois. She would call my Dad every Saturday for years to see how they were doing.
She was always comfortable in her own skin. In those days her favorite adult beverage was a combination ½ beer and ½ tomato juice. She didn’t care what others thought. She liked it and that’s what she had on her visits to us.
My wife Sue and I would stop in to see “Kack” and Skip in Rapid River on our way to Twin Lakes every year. My lasting memory of my Aunt Kack will be the walk that we took with her around her park last summer and her enduring smile. We miss her already.
Bob Steinen
Patrick Nault (camp host) - Gladstone, Mi
Dani and family may deepest sympathy to you and family in my thoughts and prayers
Karen Salo - NIAGARA, WI
Skip, Jim and family,
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you during this hard time.
I worked with Kathy at SSA in the beginning of my career. She was an awesome lady!
Chris and Lulu Beauchamp - Gladstone , MI
Skip and family, Sending our condolences and prayers. We will always remember Kathy taking her daily walks through the campground and chit chatting with her. Such a beautiful kind woman. RIP Kathy.
Chris and Lulu Beauchamp
Jackie mott - Orange Park, FL
Dani, Skip and family, my deepest condolence in hearing of Kathy’s passing. One of my moms favorite people❤️Oh how the laughter would fill the room. I will never forget her smile, kindness and sense of humor.
Love you all
Sassy
Denise and Donald Chiasson - Independence , La
Skip and family our thoughts and prayers are with you. We enjoyed playing in blackjack tournaments with her in Mississippi. She was a very pleasant person to sit and chat with , hated when she was on my table ( afraid she would beat me )