Vivian Steinbach

Vivian June Steinbach, age 82 years of Niles, Michigan died at 11:56 p.m. on Sunday, February 23, 2014 at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana following an extended illness.

She was born on June 25, 1931 in Buchanan, Michigan to John W. and Ruby B. (Ernsperger) Kaufman. She attended Buchanan schools, and moved to Niles in 1951. She was employed for several years at the former Simplicity Pattern Company in Niles.

June was a former member of the First Church of Christ – Christian in Niles, and has been attending the Hope Community Church. She enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, including several trips to Arizona. She also enjoyed planting in her flower garden, and was fascinated by butterflies and frogs. She was a fan of the University of Michigan, and was well-known for her willingness to help others; but her greatest interest was her grandchildren.

On May 9, 1953 in South Bend she married Gerald Steinbach with whom she celebrated the twenty-ninth anniversary of their wedding prior to his death on July 6, 1982. She was also preceded in death a companion of thirty-one years, Ronald “Bill” Wogoman who died on March 30, 2013; and by two sisters, Ruth Fletcher and infant Beverly Kaufman.

Surviving family includes her daughter, Cathy Steinbach of Niles; granddaughters Melissa “Missy” Parm and Kelli Matthews; great-grandchildren, Daniel Salinas, Dylan Salinas, Kaitlyn Salinas, Lucas Parm, Ayden Johnson, and Asa Johnson IV; and June’s brothers, Jack (& Joyce) Kaufman of Statesville, North Carolina and Jim (& Sherry) Kaufman of Baldwin, Michigan; and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral service for June Steinbach will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, February 28, 2014 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with the Rev. Michael Smith of Hope Community Church officiating. Committal will follow at Mission Hills.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of June may be made to the American Heart Association.

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