In Memory of Grace Steurer
From the January 3, 2009, Manchester CBC compilation dinner. Grace is seated at the far left in the front row.
I would like to honor the memory of a very special person who played an important part in creating your Audubon chapter- Grace Steurer of Point Arena. Grace passed away on August 14 at the age of 91. I first met Grace at the 2001/2002 Manchester Christmas Bird Count. I was immediately impressed by her aura of confidence, authority, and kindness. A couple of years later, I was surprised to discover that the American Birding Association had listed this soft-spoken white-haired lady from Point Arena as one of the top five birders in North America.
Grace was born and raised in Norwood, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati. Grace’s love of the natural world began early. Accompanying her father on camping and hunting trips to the Adirondack Mountains, she developed a deep reverence for the wilderness and an adventuresome heart that would shape her life. As a high school student, she took to the skies as a member of the Civil Air Patrol — an early sign of her lifelong desire to explore beyond boundaries.
Grace’s curiosity and love for the natural world led her around the globe as an avid birder. She traveled to every continent except Antarctica—a fact she half-joked was her one regret. From the remote Aleutian Islands of Alaska to the high Andes of South America, from the savannas of Africa to the wilds of Papua New Guinea, Grace sought out rare birds with wonder and delight. Her North American birding life list exceeded 800 species, and her world list surpassed 4,100 — testaments to a life lived with keen eyes and a loving heart.
Grace was an active member of the Mendocino Audubon Society. She was particularly instrumental in our earlier days as one of the key members in the Point Arena/Gualala area. Grace led the Manchester Christmas Bird Count for many years. She helped compile the Mendocino Coast bird checklist. She participated in cormorant breeding surveys. But most importantly, Grace was one of the pillars of strength that every group needs if they are to survive from the initial inspiration to a mature functioning organization.
Grace is survived by her seven children, including Tim and Fritz, who continue to cover their mother’s area in the Manchester count. Grace Steurer lived a life rich with purpose, passion, and love. She will be deeply missed and forever cherished by those who had the honor of knowing her.
Parts of this article were taken from Grace’s obituary, published in the Independent Coast Observer.
