Jacqueline “Jackie” Ann (Hart) Stegeman, 78, passed away Sept. 27, 2024, peacefully at home in Howard. Jackie was born in April 1946 to Ralph V. and Blanche A. Hart. She grew up in South St. Louis with no siblings but with a large extended family, including several cousins with whom she became very close. Her family later moved to St. Louis County where she graduated from Ritenour High School. She met her husband Norman during the summer of 1963 when he went to work at McDonnell Aircraft Corporation. They dated for several years before getting married in 1966. They lived in St. Louis County until 1976 when her husband got a job in Colordo Springs. After he retired in 2008, they moved to Howard. She worked several occupations during her life, primarily in secretarial and office assistant positions, but after having children, she devoted herself to raising her family. She became interested in family history research and soon began a lifelong passion of looking into the past of her and her husband’s families. She traced the Stegeman family back as far as 1760 in Germany. Her genealogy interests led her to join and later become President of the Colo. Springs Genealogy Society. She also did research for other persons, including families in Montana, Colorado Springs, and Salida. Jackie was a voracious reader and spent much time in the Salida Library visiting with library friends and looking over the latest novels. She often checked out 5-6 books at a time and asked for new releases from her favorite authors as gifts. When she moved to Howard, she became a member and later President of the Pleasant Valley Ladies Club. She participated in the monthly luncheons and had many friends from the club. She also loved to go to garage sales and flea markets. Going to lunch and shopping with her daughter Dawn, and close friend Francis, was something she looked forward to. She was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Salida where she has many friends. Jackie was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother and will be greatly missed. She will forever be in our hearts. Jackie was preceded in death by her parents Ralph and Blanche Hart, daughter-in-law Sheryl Stegeman, sisters-in-law Rhonda Stegeman, Linda Stegeman, Dorothy Joiner, Judy Strutton, brother-in-law Carl Strutton, and several nieces and nephews. Jackie is survived by her husband Norman, children Dawn Stegeman of Howard, Brian Stegeman of Anaconda, MT, Craig Stegeman of Highlands Ranch, and Travis (Shauna) Stegeman of Ft. Collins, grandsons Tyler, Gavyn, Kayden Stegeman, and Bryant Benson, granddaughters Kennedy, Amelia and Lily Ann Stegeman, and many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by sisters-in-law Lillian Wolters and Hazel Bledsoe, as well as brothers-in-law Orville and John Stegeman, David Bledsoe, and Jerry Joiner, all of MO.
