Diane Steffer

April 15, 1937 – October 20, 2015

Our beloved mother, wife, relative and friend died in Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto, after a month-long valiant struggle, having survived since 2001 attacks of chronic bone marrow leukemia; breast lumpectomy; two hip replacement surgeries; basal cell carcinoma and bladder tumour malignancies. This time teams of oncological and infection doctors in two major teaching and research hospitals in central Toronto were unable to save her. She had indomitable faith and perseverance.

The daughter of the late Dorothy (Downing) DeMoisey (born) Lexington, Kentucky and John Rivolette DeMoisey (born) Walton, Kentucky, she was born in Lexington. She leaves in grief Robert, her husband and partner of 55 years; brother John DeMoisey, Lexington, Kentucky; daughter Erika Steffer (Marco Blefari), Toronto; son Beauregard Steffer (wife Jennifer), Guelph, Ontario; granddaughters Abigail and Alexandria, Guelph; her niece Liz DeMoisey, Orlando; cousins John Meyers and Sandy Meyers Bennett and several DeMoisey cousins. She is predeceased by a granddaughter Britanny Turner-Steffer.

After studies at Transylvania University and Georgetown College (Kentucky), she completed the Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at the University of Kentucky. She attended Lexington (Kentucky) Theological Seminary for one year, subsequently earned Kentucky lifetime teachers’ qualifications and a Master of Arts (Library Sciences) from Indiana University.

Diane’s professional callings were mainly centred in the life and work of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. During seminary in Kentucky, she was a student Junior High Youth Director at First Christian Church, Frankfort, Kentucky (1958-60). She taught junior high school English at Fort Knox (1961-64) and worked in research and editing at Bloomington campus of Indiana University (1964-67). Jointly appointed with Robert by the Division of Overseas Ministries of the Christian Church (DOM) as Overseas Associates for the Churches of Christ of Great Britain and Ireland (1976-79), they were seconded to the beautiful Lake District of Cumbria. She later was Secretary to the President of the DOM and held Corporation and Deputation Secretaryships (1982-87). During part of Robert’s 1987-97 tenure as National Minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Canada, Guelph. Ontario, she was Office Secretary.

In the early 1990s, Diane served a term as National President of the Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada. Soon after, in 1994-95, she served as interim pastor of Hillcrest Christian Church in Toronto. In retirement she and Robert worked closely together in partnership as interim co-pastors of historic Eureka Christian Church in Illinois and co-curators of the Historic Cane Ridge Shrine in central Kentucky for over 8 years (1998 – 2006). At time of death, she was an Auxiliary Minister at Hillcrest.

Diane loved a good laugh, was a gracious host, avid mystery reader, keen learner, enthusiastic supporter of local sports teams and left-leaning political figures, storyteller and along with Robert, a passionate lover of arts, culture and British history. She was once a member of Kappa Delta sorority, was honoured by the Christian Church in Canada in 2014 with the George Stewart Award for national and international service and was named a Kentucky Colonel by a Governor of the Commonwealth. She held dual citizenship of Canada and the United States. Diane and Robert returned many times to visit Cumbria, travelled as a younger family in Europe, in retirement in the United States and Canada, and to Thailand, China and Italy. Her plants and their waterfront condo home overlooking Toronto’s inner harbour gave her much joy. She loved and nurtured her family to the end of her days.

A private family service was held on Saturday, October 24th. A celebration of life memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 14th at 11 a.m. at Hillcrest Christian Church, 2 Vaughan Road, Toronto, Ontario M6G 2N1. Reception to follow the service. Contributions in Diane’s memory would be welcome to Hillcrest Christian Church (mailing address above), Cane Ridge Shrine, PO Box 26, Paris, KY 40362-0026 (www.caneridge.org), World Vision (www.worldvision.ca), Doctors without Borders (www.msf.ca) or a charity of one’s choice.