Florence L. Steeves

Florence L. (Martel) Steeves, 86 a longtime resident of Quincy, passed away peacefully and surrounded by family at her home on Friday March 27, 2020.

Born in Laconia NH, she was a daughter of the late Irenee Martel and Yvonne (Sevigny).  Proudly French-Canadian, Florence was raised in an entirely French-speaking household and learned English only upon entering first grade in 1939. Florence was employed by the Stop & Shop Supermaket Co. in Quincy as a cashier for many years, a job she loved, retiring in 1997.  Additionally she was a volunteer at the gift shop at Quincy Hospital, and CareOne at Weymouth.

Florence was what some might call a sports fanatic, following all of the Boston sports teams including the Boston Red Sox, the New England Patriots, the Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins.  Flo rarely missed a game on television or an opportunity to tell you what one or another of the teams was doing wrong and how it could be corrected.  One of the greatest joys of her life was the Red Sox World Series victory in 2004 when her hooting and hollering from her living room during the late night finish was later reported to have been heard from the International Space Station.  At the time of her death, she remained disappointed in Tom Brady’s tragic decision to leave the Patriots.

Florence was the beloved wife of the late Eugene K. Steeves, and the devoted mother of Nancy M. McDonald and her husband Tim of Quincy, the late Martin L. Steeves who died in 2013, and a dedicated caregiver and constant companion of her daughter, Carol Steeves of Weymouth.  She was the proud grandmother, known lovingly as Meme, of Eliza, Maeve, and Fiona McDonald all of Quincy and attended every single one of their dance recitals and every play and musical in which they ever appeared at St. Ann School, St. Agatha School and Fontbonne Academy. She was the sister of Grace Montplaisir of NH and Alice Parzek of FL, Robert Martel of SC, Donat Martel of NH, Helene Stentiford of Wakefield, and the late Laurette Baillargeon, Rachel Pelczar, Blanche Mansour, Lucille Houde, and Lucien, Edmond, Leo, and Rolland Martel.  She is also survived by more than 100 nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to greet the family during the visiting hours on Monday 10:30-11:30 AM in the Keohane Funeral Home, 785 Hancock St., QUINCY followed by a funeral home service at 11:30 AM. Burial to follow. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in Florence’s name to Fontbonne Academy for the The Good Fountain Players C/O Fontbonne Academy, 930 Brook Rd. Milton, MA 02186.