Coping with Grief
We would like to offer our sincere support to anyone coping with grief. Enter your email below for our complimentary daily grief messages. Messages run for up to one year and you can stop at any time. Your email will not be used for any other purpose.
Edna (Tip) Steffens, age 87, longtime Sunnyside resident went to be in the arms of her Heavenly Father on Monday, December 28, 2020. Tip was born on February 20, 1933 in Stettler, Alberta Canada the daughter of Anna Marie (Posti) and John M. Tipman. She attended public school in Alberta, grades 1 thur 8, first at Spring Lake and later at Fenn, which were one room country schools. In 1950 she graduated from Stettler High School and in 1951 completed “Senior Matriculations” at Red Deer Composite High School in Red Deer, Alberta. She went on to Study Nursing and graduated from Royal Alexandra Hospital School of Nursing in Edmonton, Alberta, Class of 1954.
Tip’s dreamed of working as a nurse and traveling. Her first job was in Red Wing, Minnesota, followed by jobs at the University Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta and then on to Leahi Hospital “Territory of Hawaii” in Honolulu, Hawaii. Tip met her husband Harry Steffens there and they were married on May 4, 1956 in a Military Chapel on the Pearl Harbor Navy Base. Together they lived in Hawaii until Harry was discharged from the Navy in 1957, then moved to Sunnyside, WA and her son Michael was born in 1962.
Edna worked many years at Valley Memorial Hospital in Sunnyside, WA and in the offices of Dr. Tom Wiegert, Dr. Richard Kirk and Dr. Albert Maling. She retired in 1996 after working the last 16 years in the Obstetric Dept. of Sunnyside Community Hospital. Tip loved those years working in Obstetrics, enjoyed her co-workers and the young patients. She felt keenly the loved of God with each newborn’s cry – life begins and that knowing the world will go on. After retiring Tip and Harry moved to Wine Country Ville in Prosser, WA where for many years she was a caregiver for her mother-in-law and very ill son. The Steffens moved back to Sunnyside in 2002. She loved sketching, reading, photography but most important priority remained caring for her family. Tip became a proud United States Citizen in 1998.
Tip is survived by her son, Michael Eric Steffens of Sunnyside, WA. Grandson, James Andrew Steffens (Angela) of Olympia, WA. Four great grandchildren, Liam, Finn, Evangeline and Freya. Sister Sophia Franklin (Joe) of Kalispell, Montana, sister in law Judy of Kanata, Ontario Canada. One niece, six nephews, three great nieces, one great nephew, numerous cousins and many dear friends. Tip is also survived by her special friend Phillis Kaiser, they supported each other for over 50 years through trying times and times of joy. Tip said many time Phyllis was her guardian agnel and acknowledged Phyllis was guardian angel to others and to some know only to God. Tip is preceded in death by her parents, one sister Myrtle Louise Hartwell, two brothers Rudolph Roy Tipman, Victor Tipman and the love of her life, husband of 50 ½ years Harry R. Steffens. Those wishing to honor Tip’s memory may contribute to the American Cancer Society or Yakima Union Gospel Mission.
Viewing and visitation will be held at Smith Funeral Home, Sunnyside from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 7, 2021 Graveside Services will follow at 1:00 p.m. at the Lower Valley Memorial Gardens Sunset Veteran Section. Those wishing to sign Tip’s online memorial book may do so at www.funeralhomesmith.com
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Edna "Tip" Elizabeth Steffens, please visit our floral store.