Monica C. (Darr) Steindam

Monica C. Steindam, 106 of Oak Harbor, OH went with her angels to Jesus on October 18, 2023, just 2 days following her 106 th birthday at Genoa Retirement Village with her daughters by her side. She was born October 16, 1917 in Toledo, OH to the late William J. and Clara L. (Kessler) Darr. She married Norman W. Steindam of Genoa on November 22, 1941.

Monica grew up on the family farm on County Road 18 and was the second oldest in her family of eight. She attended grades 1-8 at Union Center School, a one-room schoolhouse on Muddy Creek Road, which remains Ottawa County’s only intact school of its kind, and Oak Harbor High School. Following high school she worked at Avery’s Café in Oak Harbor whereshe met her future husband Norman (Dewey). They were the beginning of the story of “the three Darr girls from Oak Harbor who married the three Steindam boys from Genoa and the twelve double cousins.”

She was a lifelong member of St. Boniface Catholic Church, Oak Harbor where she was very active in early years taking communion to the sick, Altar and Rosary Society, started the bereavement committee, arranged altar flowers and took many meals to the sick of the Parish. She attended weekly Mass well after she was 100 years old. Monica prayed for everyone! Herfaith and her family were very important to her. In June 2019 and again in June 2023, she had the pleasure of a visit from Fr. John Thekkekekara of Bengaluru, India, whom she sponsored in the Seminary many years earlier and corresponded with regularly. He lovingly referred to her as “Mom.”

As well as being a homemaker, Monica was also employed at Erie Ordinance Depot in Port Clinton, OH and Ayling & Reichert in Oak Harbor. While she lived at the corner of Toussaint and Ottawa Streets in Oak Harbor, she could often be found keeping up with the home maintenance and her flower gardens well into her 90’s. She and Norman one summer even received the Yard of the Month Award from the Ottawa County Exponent, something they were quite proud of.

On Sunday, October 15, 2023, one day prior to her 106 th birthday, she received a Proclamation from the Ottawa County Commissioners and a Certificate of Achievement from Ottawa County Senior Services and learned that she was the oldest resident of the county. That was followed by a birthday gathering of family and friends at Genoa Retirement Village.

She is survived by her daughters Mary A. (Tim) Stapleton and Dianne M. (Robert) Bochi both of Oregon, OH; grandchildren: Patrick (Krista) Stapleton, Matt (Katie) Stapleton, Michael Bochi, and Monica (Jason) Dudley; great-grandchildren: Laura & Rachel Stapleton, Hailey, Kelsey & Luke Dudley and many nieces and nephews who greatly loved her. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Norman on August 4, 2001; sons James N. Steindam and Ronald W. Steindam; siblings: William Darr, Margaret Steindam, Angela Steindam, Robert Darr, Rita Guth, Patricia Wingert, and Donald Darr.

Visitation will be Sunday from 2-7:30pm at Crosser & Priesman Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Oak Harbor Chapel and where a Parish Wake Service will begin at 7:30pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11am on Monday, October 23, 2023 at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Oak Harbor with Rev. Joseph Steinbauer, Celebrant. Additional visitation will be Monday morning at the Church beginning at 10am. Burial will be in Salem Township Union Cemetery, Oak Harbor. Memorial Contributions may be made to St. Boniface Catholic Church or School. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.crosserpriesmanfuneralhome.com.

Her daughters would like to thank all of Monica's special "family" at Genoa Retirement Village. Their care and love for her in every way was outstanding.