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Barbara E. Steudte
Barbara Elsa Steudte, a lifelong resident of Southampton, died at Southampton Hospital on Sunday, October 2, after a two-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 56.
Born at Southampton Hospital to German emigrants, Irmgard and Gerhard Steudte, on February 21, 1955, her family lived on Fordham Road off of Hill Street in Southampton.
Growing up, Ms. Steudte had many friends and was interested in art and reading, and was heavily influenced by her great aunt who was an art professor at City College of New York. In 1974, she graduated from Southampton High School and attended various community colleges.
Known as an “eternal student,” who was always learning, she took classes on a wide range of topics spanning from art to nutrition. She never earned a degree but took many years of classes that interested her.
Ms. Steudte was also a part-time employee in the bakery department of Waldbaum’s in Southampton and worked summers at the Bathing Corporation of Southampton.
One of Ms. Steudte’s many talents was quilting and crocheting; she gave almost every member of her family a handmade afghan or quilt. She was also skilled in tatting, a very fine, lace-like crocheting style.
According to family, she was a doting aunt to her nieces and nephews and they loved her very much.
Likewise, her coworkers respected and admired her. Employees from the Southampton Waldbaum’s and the Bathing Corporation attended her wake and told stories about how she was a great listener. If anyone ever had a problem, they could count on Ms. Steudte to listen.
She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on August 2 and died exactly two months later on October 2.
Ms. Steudte is survived by her mother, Irmgard Steudte; siblings, Harald and his wife Susan, Christoph and his wife Michele, and Steffen and his wife Mary Ellen, all of Southampton; nieces and nephews, Jennifer Steudte Parendo and her husband Keith Parendo, Benjamin Steudte, Christoph Steudte, Stephanie Steudte, Steffen Steudte Jr., Jesse Steudte; great-nephew and great-niece Joseph and Charlotte Parendo; aunts, uncles and many cousins in Germany. She was predeceased by her father, Gerhard Steudte.
Visitation was held on Thursday, October 6, at the O’Connell Funeral Home in Southampton. A prayer service followed that evening at the funeral home. Pastor Joanne Utley of the Bridgehampton Methodist Church officiated.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to East End Hospice, P.O. Box 1048, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978.
on Oct 7, 2011