Obituary: Pearl Florine ‘Flo’ (Steege) Person

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Pearl Florine “Flo” (Steege) Person, 88, of Pinedale, Wyo., was welcomed into the loving arms of her Savior on Nov. 9, 2022.
Flo was born on May 23, 1934, in Independence, Miss. to Rothoy and Loretta (Mendenhall) Robinson. Shortly after she was born, her family moved to eastern Laramie County. She graduated from Egbert High School in 1952. Throughout her life, she lived in Burns, Wyo., Omaha, Neb., and Cheyenne, Wyo., and spent the last three years of her life in Pinedale, Wyo.
Flo is survived by two sons Rich (Deb) Steege of Pinedale and Rog Steege of Cheyenne; daughter Linda Butcher of Cheyenne; son-in-law, Marty Roth of Pine Bluffs; grandchildren Jamie (Kami) Heinz, Janee’ Havens, Michele (Tom) DeHoff, Lyndi (Bill) Harris, Joe (Katie) Steege and Jordanne (Jared) Cass; along with 11 great-grandchildren and one on the way, as well as many nieces and nephews across the country.
Flo was preceded in death by her parents, three sisters, a brother and her youngest daughter, Joyce Roth.
Flo is probably best known for her love of food. She was a gifted cook and baker and she loved feeding anyone who was hungry. She was a school lunch lady for Burns K-12 School for many years, bringing her homemade cabbage burgers and pigs in a blanket and her famous cinnamon roll recipes to the lunch table. Her working days then took her to Little America where she worked in the dining room and coffee shop. One of Flo’s proudest work accomplishments was running the coffee shop at the newly opened Little America in Little America, Wyoming. She and her good friends Billie, Ramona, Gloria and Norma were dubbed the “Little America Girls” and laughed as hard as they worked during 12-hour shifts, seven days a week.
Continuing her love for serving others, she opened restaurants in Cheyenne. First, she opened the Old Town Inn in downtown Cheyenne, followed by Flo’s Place in the historic Plains Hotel. Later in her retirement, she worked as a lunch lady in the cafeteria at McCormick Junior High.
Flo was strong in her faith as an active member of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, at Immanuel Lutheran in Burns, King of Glory in Cheyenne and Our Savior in Pinedale. She also participated in the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.
Flo was also an avid crafter. She spent much of her time volunteering for the Cheyenne Civic League and Christmas House. Depending on the day, you might find her sewing, quilting, cross-stitching, painting, stamping and making cards or scrapbooking. She was also a passionate reader, often falling asleep in her bed with a good novel still in hand. Flo grew an impressive garden each summer. Up before the sun, she could be found planting seeds, weeding, harvesting ripe fruits and veggies or snapping green beans. She was famous for her canned green beans and her canned vegetable soup. She made the best goulash, molasses cookies, gingersnap cookies, chocolate graham cracker cookies, as well as a variety of pies and cakes.
Her famous cinnamon rolls also earned her several, very sincere, marriage proposals.
Her name was Flo, but many lovingly referred to her as “Grammy.” She became everyone’s grammy as she fed anyone who was hungry and welcomed any and everyone into her home and her family. She loved and accepted us all completely, and in return, she was completely loved.
A private family gathering has been planned. Donations in Flo’s memory can be made to Immanuel Lutheran in Burns, King of Glory in Cheyenne or Our Savior in Pinedale.
Online condolences - covillfuneralhome.com.