Kathryn Burgsteiner Stevens

Kathryn Burgsteiner Stevens, 96, of Fernandina Beach, Florida, and formerly of Valdosta, died on Friday, November 20, 2020 at the Fernandina Beach Rehabilitation and Nursing Home. She was born in Perrine, Dade County, FL, on November 5, 1924, of Native Georgians, The Late William Kirk Burgsteiner and The Late Ola Moore Burgsteiner. She moved to Lowndes County, GA, at the age of 4 years with her parents. Kathryn has lived in GA most of her life, with the latter few years being spent on Amelia Island, FL. She attended Pine Grove School and graduated from Valdosta High School in 1943. She then attended South Georgia Business School. She worked at Moody Air Force Base for a while in her early years.

In 1945, she married LaVerne Edgar (Steve) Stevens of Lake Preston, South Dakota, who was one of the first soldiers stationed at Moody Air Force Base, GA. He was transferred to Moody from Albany, GA, where he was an Administrative Specialist, in 1941. They met at a USO function where his first words to her were ‘Honey, when are we getting married?’. After World War II they moved for a few years to his home state of SD, while he attended South Dakota State University. Then moved back to Valdosta, and were together, there, until his death in 2007. In 2013, she moved to Fernandina Beach, FL, to be closer to family. And, though she was welcomed with open arms, she always missed her friends and family in Valdosta.

She and LaVerne had 3 children, Kathryn (Kitty) Stevens Ellis, of Savannah, GA, Robert (Bob) Stevens (Kathy) of Midlothian, VA, and Pamela (Pam) Stevens Bell (Wade “Hamp”) of Fernandina Beach, FL. She is survived by them and her 9 grandchildren, Jeff Scheule (Kiersten)of Buford, GA, Ashley Scheule Stepkoski (Stephen) of Birmingham, AL, Amy Stevens Tompkins (Bill) of Jurupa Valley, CA, Kathleen Stevens Figueroa (Erik) of Tampa, FL, Brittany Stevens Davis (Bryan) of Powhatan, VA, Kirsten Bell Campbell (Rob) of Fernandina Beach, FL, Jensen Bell (Emily) of Fernandina Beach, FL, Katrin Bell of Boulder, CO, Stevn Bell (Jenni) of Tampa, FL. She is survived by 19 great grandchildren, Charlee, Parks, Whit, Elin Scheule; Ava, Lech, Elsie Stepkoski; Ava, Liam, Lilia, Beckham Tompkins; Roman, Mila, Figueroa; Emmett Charles Davis; Madelyn, Sadaly Campbell; Ollen Bell; Emma Katherine, Davis Bell. Her survivors also include her nephew, Will Davis (Butch) and Jane Burgsteiner of Valdosta, GA. She is predeceased by her brother, Will Davis Burgsteiner (Edwina). She is also survived by many other relatives too numerous to mention by name that she loved very much.

Kathryn worked as a Real Estate Salesperson since 1967 and retired as Associate Broker of Stevens Realty Company in February 2007. She is a member of First Baptist Church, Valdosta, where she served on several committees, and recently attended First Baptist, Fernandina Beach. She has served as President of Valdosta Chapter 471 United Daughters of the Confederacy. She served as Regent of General James Jackson Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, served as Regent of Daughters of the American Colonists. She also served several terms as Trustee on The Lowndes County Historical Society. And, she was given the honored designation as Life Member of the Garden Center of Valdosta, GA, for her work of serving as President of the Garden Center, Inc., at the Crescent, as well as many other positions there.

She is a long-time member of the Georgia Salzburger Society. Her father’s family (Burgsteiner) came from Salzburg, Austria, to the mouth of the Savannah River, when General James Oglethorpe came to this county to settle Georgia.

She served her Lord in various ways, including always having food for those who were in need, and she truly had the gift of hospitality.
Services for Kathryn Burgsteiner Stevens will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, November 24, 2020 at The Crescent. The burial will follow in the Cat Creek Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to The Crescent, P.O. Box 2423, Valdosta, GA 31604-2423. Condolences to the family may be conveyed online at www.mclanecares.com. Carson McLane Funeral Home.