Margaret Mary (Mimi) Steffen

Margaret Mary, known as "Mimi" or "Marge," (Ampe) Steffen, 93, formerly of Rileyville and Honesdale, PA, died February 18, 2022 at her home in Denver, surrounded by her family.

Born in Rileyville, daughter of the late George F. and Ada Doherty Steffen, Mimi spent summers in Rileyville and winters in Riverdale, New York. She earned a B.S. in Home Economics at Hunter College, NY, and a M.S. in Child Development from Kansas State University. Mimi taught Child Development at Purdue University and the University of Wisconsin. She taught elementary and gifted education in Oak Park, IL, until her retirement in 1988. She moved back to Rileyville and then Honesdale, where she had a 30-year "career" volunteering for the Wayne County Public Library, the Victim's Intervention Program, the Wayne County Historical Society, and the Alzheimer's Association. She attended St. Joseph's Church in Rileyville. Mimi moved to assisted living in Denver, Colorado in 2018 to be near family.

For 30 years, Mimi resided in Oak Park, Illinois, where she was known as Marge Ampe. While married to Leonard Ampe, she had 6 children: Mary Beth (David, grandchildren Jesse, Ellie, Cassie, and Simon), Peggy (grandchildren Steven (Kaulana) and Andrew (Kim), great-grandchildren Sophia, Avery, and Wyatt), John (Susan, grandchildren Michael and Noah), Virginia (Jack, grandchildren Jerry, Clare, and Patrick), Jim (Kirsi, grandchildren Katja and Miika), and Peter (Lisa). Mimi was preceded in death by brothers John, George Jr., Paul, and Richard.

Throughout her life, Mimi loved learning. She had one of the first home computers and was never without her laptop. She traveled to Europe and across the U.S. She was an avid researcher. In addition to self-published family histories and a genealogy website, Mimi compiled a database of Wayne County teachers and published 6 books on the Rural Schools of Wayne County.

Mimi was a strong believer in justice and advocacy. She marched for Open Housing in the mid-1960's. Mimi became a champion for ending secrecy and for early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's, leading a local support group. She was featured in media including a segment of a PBS television special, "Retirement Revolution". She wrote an essay for Maria Shriver's book "The Shriver Report - A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's" and advocated vociferously at forums such as a Hearing of a Pennsylvania State House Committee and a seminar by the National Press Foundation in Washington DC.

Mimi passed on her values: work hard, get a good education, treat everyone fairly, and be independent. She handed down her love of homemade pies and how to make them (especially with wild blueberries). She shared the beauty of the Rileyville area: growing daylilies and asparagus and swimming in Rose Lake in the summer and cross country skiing in the winter. Most important to Mimi was family. As Mom/Grandma Marge/GG, she knew and loved each of her offspring as the unique individuals they are.

A remembrance will be celebrated at Saint Joseph's church in Rileyville, on June 25, 2022. Contact Mary Beth Redding (email: mary.beth.redding@gmail.com).