Florence Winifred Hutson Steager, 93, formerly of Emmaus, died peacefully and surrounded by her family July 6, 2016, in Mullica Hill, N.J. Born and raised in London, England, she survived the Blitz of London in her late teens, and entered into service with the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1941, eventually achieving the rank of Corporal. It was during her military service that she met Sgt. Edward Allen Steager, of Bethlehem, of the U.S. Army First Division Infantry. They were married in London in December 1944, and for 66 years until his death in 2011.

She was a devoted wife, mother, Girl Scout leader and Cub Scout den mother, school bus driver for handicapped children, host to Fresh Air children and foreign students and a Sunday School teacher. She became a certified braillist and made many school textbooks for visually-impaired students, in addition to training other brallists at national conferences in computerized brailling. She taught reading to prison inmates and ESL to recent immigrants.

She was a competitive swimmer in her early years and always physically active. She took up tennis with a practice and passion that didn’t diminish until her late eighties. After honing her own game and passing on what she’d learned to grandchildren, she started offering lessons on her home court to others. She also bowled weekly until age 88 and practiced Tai Chi and yoga. She was an avid reader and a dedicated (and frustrated) student of the piano.

She loved nature in all forms. A bird watcher and gardener, she was known for creating colorful flower gardens and bountiful vegetable gardens wherever she lived.

Having studied needlework in school, she was accomplished at sewing, knitting, embroidery, and later in life, quilting.

She is survived by a brother, Fred Hutson, and two sisters, Vera Skea and Margery Allen--all in England; five children, Barbara and her husband Bob Malone, of Houston, Texas; Brian and his wife Claire, of Mullica Hill, N.J.; Pamela, of Providence, R.I.; Jim, of Emmaus and Wendy and her husband Shaun Abraham, of Waterbury, Vt.; 10 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; extended family members and friends in the U.S., England, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Contributions may be made to your local nature center or volunteering for a local Scout troop or humanitarian cause would best honor her memory.

As per her wishes, a private celebration of her life with family and friends will be held later this summer in her former home and garden on Fifth Street, Emmaus.