Obituary of Dorothy E. Steger

After a courageous, valiant, warrior like fight against metastatic breast cancer, just before the midnight hour, Friday, November 22nd, Dorothy E. Steger at the age of 83 passed over to the lord and to be with her loved ones waiting for her. She resided only a few months at Groton Community Health Care Center, Groton, N.Y. She is survived by many people that have known their lives entwined within her journey and with great sadness she lost many who passed before her. Surviving is her last sibling her brother Robert Bob "Bucky" J. Buchanan (Lorraine) her 2 children: Michael Steger,(Maximus) Laurie Stark (Limbo & Buster) 6 grandchildren: Brandon J. Stark (Jessi) Martin M. Stark (Jordan) Blue, Allyn R.Stark (Tayler) Dodge, and her grandson Gatlin E. Stark , David Steger (Jennifer), Zach T. Steger (Sunny) 7 great grandchildren of which the newest 7th great granddaughter Beauie Mae Stark (Allyn Tayler) recently passed over in October 2024 and was waiting to welcome her great grandma Dorothy “Gram” home. Surviving Dorothy are 6 great grandchildren: Gavin George Miles Stark, Raegan Jo Ann Stark, Nova Eleanor Stark, (Brandon Stark) Mia Sophie Steger, Luke David Steger and Finn Henry Steger (David Jennifer) She is proud of the 21 great nieces and 18 great nephews along with special nieces, nephews and of course fur nieces and nephews, Heidi Shaffer, Desiree "Des" Smith (Chris), Shannon Lateer passed March 2019, (Surviving Melody Lateer, Isaiah Lateer), Karen Randolph Davis (Larry), Mark Randolph (Patti), Bobby Randolph, Billy Randolph (Sue), Leslie "Les" Buchanan (Beth), Scott "Scottie" Buchanan (Molly) Ricky Buchanan, Vicky Louise Hayes (Wilbur), Daniel "Danny" Price (Kathleen), Wendy Price passed December 2020, (Surviving Jay, Nicole Byam Jeff Fairweather (Bethanny), Gary Price passed December 2018 (Surviving Keri Krypel (Mark), Daniel "Danny" Price (Kathleen), Jerri Ann Roundy Guy (Mike), Mike Roundy, Joe, Roundy (Kathleen passed December 2014), Deborah Roundy Mason (Steve) and Jeffrey Roundy. She was predeceased by her baby sister Mary Lou Buchanan who sadly was still born at birth after an outing cherry picking told by her mother. Her grandparents Dora I. Wakefield 1956 (Albert Lewis 1979) Eva Caughey Buchanan 1963 (Elbert James Buchanan 1947), her father Elmer J. Buchanan in 1992, shortly thereafter losing her mother Louise A. Lewis Buchanan in 1994. She was close and kept in contact with many of her aunts and uncles who predeceased her: Alice N. 2005 (William F. Daley 1994) Philand W. Lewis 1996, Alta A.1970, (Dwight A. Cutler 1973) Iva L. 1994 (Morace M. Francais 1945), Fred Buchanan birth, Edith K. 1978 (Oscar K. Schenck 1989), Esther L. 1997 (William H. Gordon 1967) and Lena Buchanan 1921. Tragically losing her best friends in life came to be, her beloved sisters: Jane Louise Buchanan Randolph November 2016, next month her sister Bette Jean Buchanan Price Roundy December 2016 (survived by Kenneth R. Roundy), her sister Sue Carol Buchanan Lateer Shaffer January 2019, her brother-in law Randy Shaffer February 2019, Shannon Lateer passed March 2019, her brother-in-law William Randolph April 2023 along with her good friend Charlotte McNeil (Frank) at the Friendship House where she resided previous to Groton, N.Y. Along with many family fur babies she paid great attention to and loved along her way and especially Judy her horse, "The Jumper" who passed due to cancer October 1962, her beloved human fur kids Traveler, Patches, guinea pig Bear, her kitties Puffer, Callie, Willie, Susie Q, Comet, Fandango, many fishes and her home on Kinney Gulf Road farm living, Thunder, Buster, Reegie, Charlie, always fascinated by the bees from Grandpas hives, the hen house and always trying to friend feral cats when possible. She lived all her childhood life on the farm of her parents and grandparents at 4245 Kinney Gulf Road, Cortland, N.Y. The corner stone to her parents first home remains to this day on apartment building on Groton Ave. She helped mother often in the kitchen, worked odd jobs for pocket money, sister Sue tagged along on dates “Chaperoning” was a member of 4-H, competed at the county fairs and followed her father often more than not. She was faint at heart to see blood. As he privately cut the head off a chicken for dinner for mother...thump he looked around...thee she was...Dorothy had fainted. "Stay up to the house with mother" Elmer said. In the barn, cutting the bulls horns...thump there lay Dorothy. He had come to expect she would be nearby. One time she fell into the calves watering trough...almost drowned...her father saved her. Out the corner of his eye he had seen her feet sticking out.... good thing he was always looking around while working and so the fear of drowning came to be and staying more with mother. As a teenager her father got her a horse with the agreement she would get the cows each night from the upper pasture. Even in the rain? Yes, she did and would have to redo pin curls for school as scarves back then weren't waterproof. She always aspired to have a hair salon in her home and even later years enjoyed doing her mother's hair as well as others. She thought to try out acting in the thespian society, however the cows called, the horse ran with the breeze upon her cheeks and she loved it. Who needs acting? She continued to compete in horse shows proudly, spit shinned and polished and kept her favorite black cowboy boots with turquoise diamonds for years and years. Still wore them out now and then too. “If I get hurt, promise me not to let them cut my boots off of me!” She went to Homer Central School from grade school to completing her education with the Homer Class of 1960. She married shortly after high school and resided for many years in Preble, N.Y. participating in the Preble Auxiliary Department, girl scouts, one very memorable one at the church for fire safety badges, girl scout cookie center with 100's of boxes to be picked up and sold, The Preble Congregational Church, boy scouts and events, learning clowning with neighbor Esther Winslow and was a clown "Smiley balloons" in the dairy parade June, 1973, however the smile stained her face and she had to work at Song Mountain looking super happy! A story she loved to tell chanting “Remember the base cream!” Nature brought her peace and relaxation. Many celebrations, picnics and walks at Little York Park, the lake, July4th, kiddie pool, the train, animals and flying swings, many family reunions. Dorothy loved her time spent well at Dwyer Memorial Park. Other pleasures derived from designing flowers beds of marigolds, forget-me-nots and digging up families' perennials and peonies replanting on her property thriving brought her great joy. Going to her sister's place on Owasco Lake, to her many sisters at Yellow Lantern was good times to be had by everyone. Always wanting to be near the water yet not in over her head she was just fine. Days of sewing doll clothes, knitting hats, mittens and slippers with pom poms, to hemming pants, alterations for others and making her own patterns of design made due to her craft ability and design. Days were spent organizing, cleaning, repairing, being a mom and wife, learning from Julie Child shows, enjoying getting creeped out with Saturday's Monster Movie Matinee, staying in shape exercising with Jack Lalane, a chair and her children or helping with the Jerry for kids Muscular Dystrophy Carnival at McBrides Trailer Park and taking kids to the Salty Sam Show in Syracuse, N.Y. or to the state fair. Music was always a necessity in the household 60's 70's, 80’s, swing and country western was on the hit list. She loved dancing to it all with great moves and style. She enjoyed life the best she knew how. She loved to see things grow and said many times crop farming and a produce stand would be perfect. She even grew a 20foot vine from the eyes of her potatoes at her last place. It tickled her funny bone and boasted to many. She loved helping planting season, getting in the dirt, even planting cabbage on her in laws farm just down the road. She baked pies, made beautifully tiered cakes for family occasions and even made pastries for hire. She like many others with frozen hands worked at the Preble Kraut Plant. She also worked at Song Mountain one of her favorite ones along with her friend Connie Reynolds back in the days of clambakes, motorcycle hill climbs and yes ski season and absolutely loved it! She truly loved to plan for parties, prepare special hor de orves, dishes, creating new recipes and preparing a display that was to be admired for that occasion. She took great pride in that and passed onto her younger generations following in her footsteps, along with her strength, kind heart, creativity, determination, humor and to embrace life as much as you can when you can however you can words to live by from her mother Louise. She eventually moved to Homer, N.Y. to begin a new leg of her journey, where she and her children lived. She worked as head cashier at Carls Drugs Store next to Grand Union on Homer Ave. She found new friendships in her co-workers and abilities she possessed. She created her own cleaning service, learned to do private home care so people could stay home as long as they possibly could. She took great pleasure knowing she was able to do this for so many that she cared for. She suffered a severe knee injury and went through 2.5 years of endurance, pain and physical therapy proving the doctor wrong..."You'll never ride a horse again..." That was all the reason she needed to overcome her hurdles. She did it too along with love and support from family. Eventually she was mobile 100% and excited to move to a cute country place on 41 in Homer on way to Scott. She resided there a few years then moved to Lafayette then Tully and back to where she started in the little yellow house, across the creek, at the foot of the hill...where she stayed for days...her Grandparents house....her special nearby retreat. Her mother would call, ”Dorothy you need to come up the hill, you've been down there for days..."It's fine she'd say grandma washed my clothes, fed me and we're baking. Up the hill she went to look forward to stay another day another time. She bought a home in Mclean, Town of Dryden, Hamlet of Freeville where she lived until 2016. Like her father Elmer, she always liked a good joke, spontaneous road trip, a hot cup of coffee, good conversation and being connected to nature and animals. Taking pride in her flower beds, transplanted family bushes, rocks collected, driftwood and wagon wheels appropriately placed to her pleasing. Holidays were always lit up with decor, lights, beauty and some humor thrown in. "Laughter is the best medicine" she always said. It's how she got through things at times to make a joke and light hearted, to make others laugh...then she was on a roll. Favorite places Little York Park down by the creek, Municipal Water Works feeding the ducks, grumpy goose and the deer, Stewart Park, Burnett Park Zoo, Auctions and box lots "Digging for gold" she'd say, her car was an auction on wheels ready to go at any moment. She had fun doing that along with family members. Nothing like an ice cold beer on a hot summer day, rubbing elbows with friends sipping and talking, playing pitch, the smell of lilacs blooming around mother's day, a good hot sausage 'n pepper sandwich at the state fair, horse shows anywhere anytime, tailgating with homemade goodness, especially the NYS Fair Arena, Toyota Coliseum grilling no burning a Hoffman hot dog at midnight on her porch in the summer night, barefoot, listening to the peepers, appreciating the stars and howling at the moon and giggling to herself. Getting together with her children and grandchildren, celebrating their birthdays in special ways, same for other family or friend’s birthdays, that is what her mother did too. Birthdays are special and unique just like you. So together they might head out to the casino or race track. It was always a huge highlight to her life and mix it up with a good buffet and seafood to boot. Perfection it was. Always enjoying family, friends, furry friends in the neighborhood she helped out and a few she took in, "Just until their better..." smiling she'd say...they never left. She retired to the day September 30th, 2008 after 21 years of service at ASC Cortland State University honored at her the appreciation dinner ASC event at the Cortland Opry Barn. She had fun at her job, always dressing up or in costume for holidays, creating treat bags to give out to "Her students" she'd say. She worked hard, dedicated her time and forged more friendships with coworkers for life. She continued to do some private home care and a few cleaning jobs in her spare time and auctions on the go, get togethers for special occasions, holidays, family birthdays and yes A & W, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Bob's Barbeque. She remained close to her roots, yet loved to learn about worldly cuisine and cultures. She overcame her fear to fly and jetted to Florida for a family visit, she traveled to Maine, Nova Scotia, Canada, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City always returning to her hometown saying "That was great! I'm glad to get home." In 2016 she sold her home on Bell Lane, Freeville, N.Y. and moved to a cute apartment at Cortland Friendship house. Shortly thereafter had a full knee replaced at 75 that had injured in mid 70's. Again, she showed her strength to push against road blocks and keep pushing through to something better for herself and mobility she so desired. She again forged new friendships 2 legged, 4 legged and 4 wheeled with many, learned some new hobbies such as train dominoes, Rummy Q, still playing pitch, took up reading which was never a past time, "Who knew?" She exclaimed showing all the new books from the community library at the Friendship house. She really took to a couple there Frank and Charlotte, among others too whom she felt a kinship with, they reminded her of her own mother and father. She lost a few good friends and fur babies there. Her last kitty Comet. She really wanted to get another, yet knew she could trip so she did not, yet enjoyed everyone else's in the family and friends and they were lucky because of her too. Keeping up with her soaps channel 5, Little House on the Prairie, Heartland, Man vs Wild, Dancing with the Stars, The Voice and anything with Elvis, Sam Elliot or Nick Nolte in it and learned to play darts and beer pong on her Roku tv. To all that read this may you feel honored to know her, if you don't may you feel like you do know her a little bit. A person's obituary is a tribute to their life, legacy and journey. There is no right or wrong way, you just try the best you can just like Dorothy E. Steger has done in her life. May you always remember her in your heart, with love, cherish her being of goodness, her blessings to you, her life well lived, her resilience and determination urging you to live your life well and to the fullest best that you can. It seemed fitting her last time riding horse with her sister Sue to share this picture. So happy, doing what she truly loved, sitting proud and high in the saddle. May today and always allow her memories to hug you, to be of comfort and godly blessings for all the lives that she touched today and always ever so has touched yours in some way...Dorothy's way she would want that for you and her. There will be no services or funeral at her request. There will be a celebration of life in her honor on her birthday July 30th, 2025. A memorial bench of 6 generations placed in her honor at Little York Park, Dwyer Memorial Park. All family, friends and fur babies are welcomed. Further details will be announced. Contributions may be made to a charity or program of your choice in her name or to the Dwyer Memorial Park, Renzi Cancer Center, Cortland SPCA and don’t forget to make a pitstop at the waterworks and feed the animals in her honor Dorothy E. Steger.