Lorraine Steubing Griffin

1930 – September 6, 2023

Lorraine was raised on a farm in West Bexar and Medina counties—without modern conveniences! She was baptized on January 17, 1931 at St. Louis Catholic Church in Castroville, Texas; she received her first communion and the Sacrament of Confirmation at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in San Antonio, Texas. Her mother passed March 26, 1936, when Lorraine was only five years old, and she continued to live on the farm with her father and sister Madelyn, who was 7 ½ years her elder and stepped halfway into the role of her mom. Her father, who read the entire Bible several times, continued her Catholic education, though he himself was Lutheran. Lorraine enjoyed her summers with her grandparents at Rio Medina, where
she spent lots of time swimming in the Medina River in the shade of Cypress trees. Lorraine attended the Maverick School in Medina County, a traditional two-room schoolhouse of the time. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio when she was 15 and joined the work force, with her first job being in a real estate office for 5 years before entering Federal Service in Government Contracting at various local Air Force installations for approximately 41 years. While she was working, she attended San Antonio College and Southwest Texas State University. Lorraine said it was a long and rewarding journey from a two-room schoolhouse to the job that she held at the time of her retirement. Lorraine received many awards for her outstanding work during her time in federal service and retired in 1990, then went back for 13 months, until Rick told her she needed to retire so they could travel before they got too old. Lorraine felt very blessed to have such a large attendance at her retirement ceremony, where she received many gifts. She was awarded the Outstanding Civilian Career Service Award and medal, accompanied with a congratulatory letter from President George H.W. Bush. Lorraine also received a United States flag that was flown over the Congressional building. After retirement, she volunteered with the National Association of Federal Retired Employees (NARFE) Chapter 1320 for 18 years, bringing her total time on the Air Force Bases to 59 years! For her service, she earned the NARFE Award for District Volunteer of the Year.

The year she retired, Lorraine felt she had the opportunity to repay Madelyn for the growing up years, when her sister played the role of a mother as well as her big sister. Madelyn had colon cancer for five years before she passed and Lorraine was able to spend time by her side, caring for her and being the sister Madelyn needed during that time. Lorraine never had children, but she did enjoy spending time with her nephew Tommy, and later his three children, Kirk, Jennifer, and Jeff. She would have one of the children with her almost every weekend and they enjoyed many journeys to the coast. After she and Rick married, her step-grandson lived with them during part of his senior year of high school, his first year of college, and weekends and summers for several years thereafter.

In fact, traveling brought great joy to Lorraine’s life and she had many opportunities to travel in her home country and to travel abroad, though she traveled only in the United States after the events of 9-11. Her journeys include travel to Italy, Greece and the British Isles, an Alaskan Cruise, and to the Great Northwest and Canada; also to many annual Navy Squadron Reunions held in the United States.

Lorraine was an ardent community member and volunteer. Her diversity of activities includes being President of the La Villita Chapter of the America Business Women’s Association, a charter member of the San Antonio Purchasing Management Association, and memberships with the Altrusa Club of San Antonio and the Women’s Auxiliary of the Salvation Army, and numerous church organizations. Lorraine was deeply religious and spiritual and read the Bible twice, including the foot notes. Her church activities include serving as an administrator for Confraternity of Christian Doctrine classes at St. Gregory Catholic Church, being a Founder of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, an officer in the Women’s Council, serving as chairperson for the first St. Francis cookbook “Seasoned with Love,” membership in the Society of the Rosary (including making baby bibs and rosaries), membership in the Renew Bible Study group for 15 years, volunteering with Mobile Loaves and Fishes from inception until her health failed, and four years of membership on Hank and Flo Tripp’s Silver Stars team, where she and Rick helped prepare and serve meals and provide the evening’s entertainment one evening a month for four years. Fond memories have to include Lorraine’s cracker cookies; they were always a favorite at the St. Francis October Festival and would always disappear first, due largely to the fact that members and visitors alike would come to get those cookies before they even got their food! Lorraine lived a full life, surrounded by a wealth of family and friends that loved and greatly admired her. Throughout her life, people would tell Lorraine how much they enjoyed her smile, sense of humor, and twinkling blue eyes (which she got from her mischievous grandfather). Of course, the sense of humor sometimes got her into trouble! She leaves behind her a legacy of love and boundless beautiful memories.