We remember with gratitude the life of Sister Dolores "Dodi" Steiner, who was a Sister of Notre Dame for 72 years. She died peacefully at Mercy Retirement and Care Center in Oakland on November 6, 2019.
Born in Bakersfield on March 27, 1928, Dolores graduated from Moreland Notre Dame Academy in Watsonville. Inspired by St. Julie’s faith and love of God, she joined the Notre Dame de Namur community in 1947.
For almost 30 years, Sister Dolores brought her creativity, generosity, enthusiasm and energy to the primary grade children she taught in Notre Dame schools in California, Washington and Hawaii. She then enjoyed working with adults as a religious education coordinator, pastoral minister and health care provider.
Studying art at the University of Hawaii in the 1970s enriched her natural artistic talents, which she shared in classrooms, care centers, and everywhere she served.
Her 10 special years working with the Yupik and Athabascan Indians in the Diocese of Fairbanks included responsibilities similar to any parish – with the additional challenges of being in an unfamiliar culture, a land of sub-zero temperatures, and traveling by snowmobiles. Sr. Dodi made life-long friends wherever she served; even in her 80’s, she was invited back for a fishing trip in Alaska!
Preceded in death by her sister, Marjorie Steiner, SNDdeN, and brothers Patrick and Joseph Steiner, Sr. Dolores will be remembered and missed by her nieces and nephews, Katie Mallory (Sun City West, Arizona), Kristen & Mark Milner (Oregon), Todd & Carol Steiner (Newhall), Timothy Steiner (Anaheim), many grand nieces and nephews, former students and friends in California, Alaska and Hawaii, and her Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.
Mass will be celebrated on December 18th at 10:45 at Mercy Retirement and Care Center in Oakland. 2:30 Burial at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery.
To make a gift to the Sisters in Sr. Dodi's memory, please click here.
Click here to read Sister Dorothy Steiner's 2017 Jubilarian Profile.
