Loretta Steffen Obituary

Harlingen - Loretta Bernice Steffen, went to be with her Lord Jesus, peacefully in her sleep on November 4, 2024, just two short months of her 100th birthday. Loretta was born on January 8, 1925, in Kansas City, Missouri. She loved her home state and often shared that it was there where all the famous wagon trains originated as they sought to go west. Loretta was the oldest of four children raised by her father, John Albert Railey and mother, Olive Bernice (Webb) Railey. Loretta had many fond memories of her family. One of her favorites was the times she waited for her daddy to walk down the road home from work. Once he arrived, he would let her untie the laces of his boots and then make a good attempt to pull them off. Sadly, at age 25 Albert Railey died in a work-related accident in a steel mill leaving her mother as a very young widow of four little ones. Loretta's mother remarried Russell Martin who was a wonderful daddy to Loretta and her siblings.

Loretta married at age 17 and had a son Terrell Eugene Golding on March 21, 1943. Though the marriage ended a year later, it wasn't long before she met her true love Leonerd Steffen on an assembly line during WWII making 30 and 50 caliber bullets at Remington Arms factory. Loretta laughed when telling the story of how exciting it was because she made 35 cents an hour and really looked forward to that check at the end of the week. Leonard hated the cold so in 1948 he decided to move to the warmth of Harlingen, Texas where he worked as a mechanic. Once settled he sent for Loretta and Terrel and upon her arrival he asked her to marry him. Lorretta and Steff moved into their home on Jackson Street in 1948 and in 1960 opened their own mechanic shop called Steffens Automotive. They raised Terrel in Harlingen until he joined the military for 12 years and then sadly passed away in 1973.Unfortunatly Leonard also passed away in1987 from a work-related accident. Loretta remained in her Jackson Street home till 2005 at which time she moved to the Palm Retirement Center for 13 years. Loretta moved to Windsor Nursing Home her remaining days.

Lorreta was a servant. Her strong love for our Lord Jesus was the driving force in her life. If you were to ever ask how she was doing she always answered, "Blessed, I am so blessed", no matter her situation. For many years she served the women of Harlingen by working in ladies' apparel for boutiques like Suburban Casual, Diana Shop, and Village Casuals. Loretta also sang in the Choir at Rio Hondo Baptist Church since 1960 and in 2005 became a member at Calvary Baptist Church. Yet the joy of her life was the children around her. For more than 13 years year's Loretta was the weekly babysitter for the Harlingen Chapter of Christian Women's Club Organization and for 15 years she nannied and babysat the children of several families in the Harlingen area. She called them her sergeant grandchildren.

Preceded in death are Loretta's parents John and Olive Railey, husband Leonard Steffen, son Terrel Eugene Golding, grandson Paul Golding, sisters Wainette May Hardin, Marcia Pauline Swan, and brother Harry Eugene Railey. She is survived by her granddaughter Brenda Bernice Church, great grandsons Dalton and Dylan, and her nieces Sharon Sandridge, Cynthia Herzberg, Paula Krueger, Stephanie Paro, Novalyn Greff, and nephew Mark Railey.

A memorial service will be held for Loretta on Thursday, January 9th, at Calvary Baptist Church, Harlingen, Texas at 10:00am in the Fellowship Hall.