Obituaries

Lillian Steinmetz

Photo of Lillian Steinmetz
Lillian Mae (June) Steinmetz, age 78, our loving mother who celebrated life daily with all those that knew her, has gone to heaven. A lifelong resident of North Little Rock, June passed away on Sunday, November 17, 2013. She was born on November 2, 1935, in Coy, AR, the daughter of the late John W. and Lottie Mae Windom. Orphaned early in her life, June was to become what many would call a self-made person, rising above early tragedy to forge a successful life without sacrificing her gentle, loving nature. June graduated from North Little Rock High School in 1953. At a time when not many young women in Arkansas were launching businesses, she opened her first Merle Norman Cosmetics Studio in North Park Mall in 1967. In the coming years, she continued to grow her business with the second Merle Norman store in McCain Mall and expansion into greeting cards and gifts with her June's Hallmark stores. She became a regional training center for Merle Norman Cosmetics, chaperoned the Miss Arkansas Pageant and opened additional stores before retiring in 1995. Leading the business today, her daughter Robyn continues her mother's insistence on quality merchandise and warm, friendly customer service. Over the years, June developed a world of friends as she made it her passion to live according to the Golden Rule—"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." No matter how busy the stores were she made time to be the best mother ever. She loved being our greatest fan at softball games. She and Tom traveled to watch Mike's car racing events each weekend. In recent years she enjoyed spending time at the coffee shop with her high school friends and swimming with her great-grandchildren. June will be remembered by her partner of the last 38 years, Thomas Croft, and her children, Terri Steinmetz, Mike Steinmetz and Robyn Steinmetz. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law, Patti Shaddon and Lisa Bomar; her grandchildren, Hailey Scott and Joseph Scott, and great-grandchildren, Brady Williams and Eli Strawser. Other survivors are her sister, Betty and brother-in-law, Gordon Cathey of Alexandria, La.; her brother, Johnny and sister-in-law Wanda Windom of North Little Rock, and her brother-in-law, Tucker Steinmetz of Little Rock. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Funeral Home, 7724 Landers Rd., NLR. Funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Central Baptist Church, 5200 Fairway Avenue, NLR, with Bro. Allan Greer officiating. Mom made donations to many organizations. In lieu of flowers we have included a few of her favorites: Humane Society of Pulaski County, Women's Empowerment International and Arkansas Rice Depot Food for Kids.

Published November 20, 2013

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