Ann Hollandsworth Steger

Ann Hollandsworth Steger, 86, of Tyler, Texas went home to be with the Lord on April 8, 2013. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held in the chapel of Green Acres Baptist Church at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, April 11, 2013, with Dr. Paul W. Powell and the Rev. Ken Brumley, officiating. A graveside service, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Thursday, April 11, 2013 at Rose Hill Cemetery in Tyler under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home, will precede the memorial service. Mrs. Steger was born on October 23, 1926 in Florence, Colorado to Bertha and Robert Hollandsworth. She spent most of her early life in Dallas, Texas and attended Gaston Avenue Baptist Church. Upon graduating from the Hockaday Preparatory School in Dallas, Mrs. Steger attended Southern Methodist University, graduating in 1949. While attending college, Mrs. Steger met the love of her life, William M. Steger, who was then enrolled in Southern Methodist University School of Law after completing his military service in World War II as an Army Air Corps fighter pilot. The couple married on February 14, 1948 and later moved to Longview, Texas where Judge Steger opened his first law practice and Mrs. Steger began work as a teacher in the White Oak public school system. While in Longview the Stegers became involved in the Eisenhower-Nixon campaign in East Texas in 1952 and that activity led to Judge Steger’s appointment as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas in 1953. This appointment brought the Stegers to Tyler, Texas where they lived for almost all of the remainder of their lives. In 1955, the Stegers welcomed a son, Merritt Reed Steger, into the world and he remained the joy and light of their lives until his tragic death in 1980. After returning to private practice, Judge and Mrs. Steger resumed their involvement in state and local Republican Party politics. Mrs. Steger campaigned side by side with Judge Steger when he ran for governor of Texas in 1960 and for Congress in 1962. She loved politics and loved campaigning and Judge Steger always remarked that she was a better campaigner and politician than he ever was or could have been. However, her political involvement ended in 1970 when Judge Steger was appointed by President Richard Nixon to serve as a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas. Mrs. Steger enjoyed her new role as the wife of a federal judge and was an active member of the Eastern District of Texas court family from that time forward, even continuing after Judge Steger passed away in 2006. One of her proudest moments in life came in 2008 when Congress passed a bill naming the federal courthouse complex in Tyler the “William M. Steger United States Courthouse and Federal Building.” Mrs. Steger was former president of the Tyler Women’s Symphony League, Tyler Lawyer’s Wives Club, Festival Garden Club and Kappa Alpha Theta Alumni Club. She was a member of the Tyler Junior League, Texas Rose Festival Association and many other local civic organizations too numerous to mention. Mrs. Steger was an accomplished bridge player and loved playing (and beating) the many friends and acquaintances she made through her regular card games. She was a fun-loving, talented and beautiful person; in her appearance, her heart and her soul. She loved and cherished her family above all else in life and took intense pride in Judge Steger’s many accomplishments and recognitions throughout his career as a lawyer, politician and judge. Mrs. Steger will be remembered by all who knew her as a lady of immense charm, dignity and high moral character. Mrs. Steger was a charter member of Green Acres Baptist Church and was an active and enthusiastic participant in the life of her church for over 50 years; teaching her last Sunday School lesson to her class the day before she called home by the Lord. She loved her Savior, her church, and her family. She was a devoted wife and mother and a wonderful friend and a faithful born again believer in Jesus Christ who is now at rest in heaven with her Savior and with her husband and son whom she loved and missed so deeply. Her absence from us will be keenly felt by her family and her many friends. Mrs. Steger is survived by her niece, Ann Nelson Grant and husband Derek Grant and their children Reed and Seth Grant, all of Center, Texas and special friends Sandy and Andy Tindel, Stephanie and Matt Flanery and Robin and Tom Gibson, all of Tyler, Texas. Mrs. Steger was preceded in death by husband, William M. Steger, their son, Reed Merritt Steger, her brother Thomas Hollandsworth, and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Hollandsworth. Pallbearers will be B.G. Hartley, Harry Caserta, Jr., Hal Bertram, Tom Gibson, Matt Flanery and Andy Tindel. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Derek Grant, Reed Grant, Seth Grant, Dr. Ben Bridges, Dr. Doug Coltman, Reeves Murphey and Judge Steger’s former law clerks. The family will receive friends at Stewart Family Funeral Home from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, 2013. Memorials in remembrance of Ann Steger may be made to the Judge William M. Steger Endowed Scholarship, Baylor University School of Law, P. O. Box 97288, Waco, Texas 76798-7288, Green Acres Baptist Church or the charity of your choice.

Ann Hollandsworth Steger

October 23, 1926 - April 8, 2013