Shirley Dee Steinfath

Shirley Dee Steinfath, 90, passed away Saturday, November 19, 2022. A funeral service will be held at 2:00PM, Monday, November 28, 2022, at the Trinity Lutheran Church, Haskell, TX, with Mr. Timothy Burt officiating. Burial will follow services at the Willow Cemetery under the direction of Smith Family Funeral Homes.

Shirley Dee was born August 29, 1932 in Spur, TX to Ethel (Carleton) and Dee Hairgrove. She married Albert Steinfath on January 29, 1961, in Lubbock. Together they farmed in Hale and Swisher counties and were members of the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Plainview. She graduated from Spur High School in 1949 and continued her education receiving a B.A. in elementary education from McMurray College, Abilene, Texas, in 1953 and a Masters in Education from Texas Tech University in 1955. She loved teaching but especially enjoyed inspiring her own children to love reading and school. She was always faithful to make sure they got to every school function, would fill in as a sponsor, and would be vocal at school board meetings advocating for all children, not just her own. She was elected to the Kress School Board in the eighties. She was a great cook and was known for making the turkey and dressing for 40 plus relatives every Christmas for 25 years as well baking fruitcakes for gifts. Her peanut brittle and party mix were legendary as well as her chocolate pie.

She loved to travel and made several trips with her husband, Albert, her sisters-in-law and her favorite traveling companion, her brother Mike, as they both loved seeing places they read about in books like Russia, Peru and Europe. She loved to paint and was also musically inclined, playing the piano, accordion and singing in the choir.

She was a great Mom and a wonderful grandmother; making sure each grandchild knew that they were loved and extremely special. When the grandkids were small, Shirley Dee and Albert loved teaching the alphabet letters, D&Q. Amazingly, the alphabet lesson always ended with ice cream, much to the chagrin of their parents! She was quite special.

The family would like to express their utmost gratitude to everyone at Carillon in Lubbock, Texas who has cared for Shirley through the years, especially anyone who worked in 1 South. We knew she was in good hands and never worried about her wellbeing while she was there.

She is survived by her two daughters, Shirley Anne Burt and husband Tim of Lubbock, Amy Haaland and husband Karlyle of Dalhart; son, Samuel Steinfath and wife Terri of Mckinney; five grandchildren, Kaleb, Josef, Eli, Chloe, and Adam Haaland; brother, Michael C. Hairgrove; sisters-in-law, JoAnne Hairgrove, Zona Hairgrove and numerous nieces and nephews and cousins.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Ethel and Dee Hairgrove; husband, Albert Martin Steinfath; three brothers, Van, Roland, and Kenneth Hairgrove, sister-in-law, Gay Hairgrove; nieces and nephews, Jeffrey Hall, Leon Kretschmer, Zona, Ruth Hairgrove, Dale Hairgrove, and Ann Micks.

Memorials can be shared in Shirley's honor to the St. Paul Lutheran Church Building Fund in Plainview, Texas, the Alzheimer's Association or charity of your choice.

Online condolences can be shared with the family at www.smithfamilyfh.com.