Obituary of Grace Virginia Steneck
Grace Virginia Steneck passed away on the thirteenth of February, 2014 at Hunterdon Medical Center. She was 99 years and 11 months old and for the last five years had been a resident of Independence Manor, Flemington.
Born Grace Virginia Lindemann on March 17, 1914 in Weehawken, NJ, she was the daughter of Jennie (Bartz) and Hans Lindemann, a partner in the Carl Lindemann Window Shade Co., Staten Island and Jersey City. She attended Weehawken schools and Hoboken Academy, graduating in 1931. In 1933 Grace married J. Nicholas Steneck, son of Amalie (Vintschger) and Nicholas H. Steneck of Hoboken and an officer in the Steneck Trust Co., Hoboken. J. Nicholas (Nick) was also a graduate of Hoboken Academy.
Choosing not to pursue the family businesses, Grace and Nick moved to Lake Hopatcong, where Nick purchased the Hockenjos Boat Company and the Vintschger home where they lived until 1952. They were members of the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club and the frequent hosts of friends and family at their lakeside house in Mt. Arlington. During the Lake years their children Nancy Jane, Nicholas Hans, and Carla Jean were born, and Nick acquired a second boat business in Greenwood Lake, NY. In 1952 Grace and the family moved to Main St., Succasunna. That property was purchased for the Roxbury Township Library with the gingerbread trim of the lovely Queen Anne house used to build the present Library's gazebo.
In 1960 Grace and Nick purchased a small house and extensive property on Black River Rd. in Washington Township near Long Valley. The remodeled house and beautiful gardens became the center of family life and loved by friends. Nick died in 1973, but Grace kept the gardens flourishing until moving to Independence Manor at the age of 94. An avid gardener, Grace not only maintained her large property and gardens, she was also active as a volunteer at the Cross Estate Gardens in Bernardsville.
Grace was preceded in death by her husband Nick, her parents and sister Margaret Lindemann Rollenhagen. She leaves her children Nancy Murray, Nick (Peg) Steneck, and Carla (Wayne) Myer, her grandchildren John (Lynn) and Todd (Brenda) Murray, Nicholas (Karen Huber) and Alexander Steneck, and Kelly (Arthur) Femenella and Erin (Rick) Myer, and great grandchildren Brian, Melinda and Melissa Murray, Kourtney and Kayla Murray, Arthur Femenella III, Cole Myer and several nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
A memorial service to celebrate the life of Grace Steneck will be held in the spring. Notification of the memorial service will be sent to family and friends. Interment will be in Fair Mount Cemetery, Chatham, NJ beside her beloved husband Nick. In lieu of flowers, gifts can be sent to the Long Valley First Aid Squad, PO Box 521, Long Valley, NJ 07853, where a tree honoring Grace on her 90th birthday can be found.