Koeff, Dorothy Jean (nee Steinbeck) 8/15/1927-4/5/2022: Beloved sister to Beverly (Merle) Lutman of Sacramento, CA; loving mother to Robert Koeff of Ann Arbor, MI, Lisanne (Dexter) Schraer of St. Louis, MO, and Peter Koeff of Hilo, HI; adventurous grandma to Ethan (Julia) Allman of San Diego, CA, and Katie Allman of New York, NY; inspiring aunt, friend, neighbor, birder, seamstress, painter, gardener, and pie and toffee maker extraordinaire.

Dorothy transitioned peacefully on Tuesday, April 5th with loved ones by her side. Born in Stockton, CA, to Henry Joseph Steinbeck and Leona (Davis) Steinbeck, she attended various catholic schools and later graduated from Castlemont High School in Oakland, CA, at the age of 16. She was an active member of the Oakland Ski Club, San Francisco Sierra Club (with whom she summited Mount Whitney), and an all-around nature enthusiast.

After starting her working life in the Bay Area, Dorothy took an administrative position at Ramstein Air Base in Germany and moved over seas with close friend Lois (Acres) Johnson to support her ski and travel hobbies.

Dorothy returned to the US two years later in 1959 and married pediatrician and neonatologist Dr. Steve Koeff in Ann Arbor, MI, where her three children were born, and where she acquired the recipe for her famous toffee from Mary Kelsch, mother of their best man, Dr. Robert Kelsch. She continued to work in administrative capacities for various departments at the University of Michigan and started her Christmas tradition of making toffee for dear friends.

She later returned to her beloved California, working for Stanford University and Ohlone College (where she earned her associates degree). She eventually moved to Watsonville where she worked at Aptos High School and concluded her working life as Deputy City Clerk for the City of Watsonville.

Post retirement life included work as a docent at the Elkhorn Slough, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, world travel (including Australia, New Zealand, China, Africa, South America and Costa Rica), ushering for the Santa Cruz Symphony, white-water rafting, hiking, skiing, and golf.

A life celebration will be scheduled. Gifts may be made to Elkhorn Slough (www.elkhornslough.org), the Monterey Bay Aquarium (www.montereybayaquarium.org) or any Sierra Club Chapter.