Stephanie Judith Fiebing

Stephanie Judith Fiebing, 83 of Traverse City passed away Wednesday, July 6 2022 at Munson Hospice House.

She was born on March 9. 1939 to Margaret (Campeau) and Raymond Fiebing.

Stephanie was forever grateful that she was able to spend her first year of school in the one-room Dunn School where her mother was teaching during WWII. She graduated from Central High School with the great class of 1956. In 1958 she graduated from Northwestern Michigan College, and in 1960 from Central Michigan University. She continued education throughout the next forty years as she taught at St. Francis High School, Our Lady of Grace in El Cajon, California, and again at St. Francis beginning in the 1980's. Whether referring to the Leelanau County kids in the Red Cross swim program (1959-1962) or those in traditional classrooms, teaching was much more than a job for Stephanie.

Her students were "her kids" whose successes and failures were her successes and failures. The love and respect she had for her students and their love and respect for her was plainly evidenced. She maintained contact with many former students throughout her life. Memories of her still abound in San Diego in the "costume cupboard," on stage and in the sound system at Our Lady of Grace. She chronicled her years at Our Lady of Grace in a book called The Teacher Remembers which she wrote as a fund raiser for the school. Stephanie spent free time enjoying music, sports and woodworking. She sang in numerous choirs and for countless weddings. Woodworking ranged from furniture to miniatures. She crafted at least fifteen doll houses for friends, relatives, Gladhander and for herself a treasured replica of the family cottage on Lake Leelanau.

Stephanie retired in 1999 from St. Francis. She moved to her newly built home on Lake Leelanau where she always welcomed friends and family. She spent much time and traveled extensively with dear friend and caregiver Donna Spencer. The two of them spent many winters at Donna's second home in the foothills of the Cumberland Mountains near Burnside, Kentucky. There they were active at St. Mildred Catholic Church.

Stephanie is survived by her sister Jennifer (Dave) Leggett, sister-in-law Patricia "Trish" Fiebing, and numerous nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, a sister Patricia and her brother Gregory.

Stephanie loved animals, particularly cats. Most of her life she enjoyed being owned by one or two cats. Donations may be made in her name to Cherryland Humane Society or Immaculate Conception parish. Stephanie's favorite place in the world was the property at the end of Park Road on Lake Leelanau. Her spirit remains in the whisper of the wind, the warmth of the sun, the sound of the outboard motor on her pontoon boat. She'll always be there on the bobbing raft, the Aqua Cycle or the broad, sandy beach. Her spirit lives among the bowing cedars, the upstart firs and the fluttery poplars. If you listen carefully, you can hear the song of the creek. Those are Steph's songs accompanying her as she's Going Home.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11am on Wednesday July 13, 2022 at St. Francis Catholic Church with a visitation held one hour prior. Burial will take place following at The Grand Traverse Memorial Gardens. Kindly share thoughts and memories with her family at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com .