Joann Brown Steiger

She was born in Thomasville, North Carolina, to William Asbury and Fleeta Florence (Freedle) Stout on February 13, 1929. She grew up in Thomasville with her three brothers, Carlos Harold Stout, Therell Asbury Stout and Adrian Phillip Stout who preceded her in death. She graduated from Pilot High School in Thomasville and attended Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, NC (Class of 1949) where she studied drama and was awarded induction into the Delta PSI Omega – 139th Cast Dramatic Fraternity. Her early ambitions were serving as a Foreign Missionary and Dramatic Performance.

She moved to Greensboro, North Carolina where she worked for Jefferson Standard Life Insurance. She also studied at The Women’s College of North Carolina in Greensboro, NC (now University of North Carolina at Greensboro). It was in Greensboro that she met and married Walter Glenn Brown and started their family. Walter’s career lead to the family relocating to Greenville, South Carolina in 1973. In Greenville, she continued her love of drama by working with Greenville Little Theatre and their Executive Director Bob McLane. She truly loved working with costuming and set dressing and was tickled to share a dressing room with Mr. McLane’s former student, Joanne Woodward when she returned to perform in The Glass Menagerie in 1976. She also worked for the Peace Center for over 20 years and truly loved her time there. She had the opportunity to meet many celebrities and made wonderful friends. After leaving the Peace Center the group gathered monthly for lunch and catching up.

She was of Lutheran faith and was dedicated to her church where she served on Church Council for 13 years and many other positions including Secretary to Council, Social Ministry Chairman, President of Women of the Church and President of Seniors Group. After Walter’s death, it was through the Church that she met and married Robert Charles Steiger. She gained two loving Step Daughters. She and Bob spent many happy years together being involved in the Church and traveling the US and into Canada until his passing. She loved playing piano, working puzzles and family beach trips where putt-putt was a must.

She is survived by two daughters; Jane Ellen Cantrell (Gary) of Greenville, SC and Linda Kristen Brown of Blowing Rock, NC; two step-daughters, Martha Stewart Muck of Hamburg, NY and Nancy Steiger Braswell (Gary) of Winchester, VA; Nephews David A. Wessinger (Benita) of Greenville, SC and Dr. Steven P. Stout (Christine) and his son Samuel Stout of Kennebunk, ME; one Niece Dr. Martha Stout, PhD of Cape Ann, MA and her daughter Amanda Kielley of Queens, NY.

A graveside service will be held at The Oaks section of Woodlawn Memorial Park,1 Pine Knoll Drive, Greenville, SC 29609 on May 5, 2023 at 1:00 PM.

Memorials may be made to J.R. Poe Therapy Dog Ministry, 104 Fiddler Dr., Broadway, NC 27505 (a 501(c) (3) ) or the Salvation Army, PO Box 1237, Greenville, SC 29602.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mackeywoodlawn.com for the Steiger family.