Annabel (Annie) Stein passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 14, only nine days after enjoying a long weekend of celebration for her 100th birthday with family and friends. She is survived by her daughter, Cindy Nordlinger, her granddaughter, Julie Ziesemer, and Julie’s husband, Shawn Ashley. Annie was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Fred (Bud) Stein; her parents, Otto Schultz and Alma (Schlafer) Schultz; her brother, Neil Schultz and wife Dorothy; and her nephew Charles Raab, whose wife Betty survives. She is also survived by her niece Mary Jean Raab (John Boyer); niece Phyllis Valentine; nephew, Ken (Pam) Schultz, and great grandpuppy, Sunny.
Annie was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1924. She was a member of the first graduating class of Slauson Junior High School. She graduated from Ann Arbor High School and the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science degree in actuarial mathematics. She worked as the bookkeeper at her husband’s business, Stein & Goetz Sporting Goods Store. Together, they traveled extensively and enjoyed 40+ trips to their adopted country of Switzerland. She retired in 1976 when they sold the sporting goods store to Dave Hirth and Doug Horning, who later changed the name to the M Den. She was a lifetime resident of Ann Arbor until 1990 when she and Bud began splitting their time between Ann Arbor and Tarpon Springs, Florida. In 2018 she returned permanently to live out her last years with her family in Ann Arbor.
While in Ann Arbor, she volunteered at Bud’s Kiwanis club, her church, and for many of her daughter’s activities growing up. She was a member of the U of M Alumni Association’s Camp Michigania Camp Council, and she was the first female President of the Ann Arbor YM-YWCA.
If you knew Annie, you knew her competitive streak that served her well as an accomplished local bowler, golfer, and tennis player. She still played tennis on her 90th birthday. She never met a card game she didn’t win! Four days before turning 100 she won her last game of mah-jongg against dear friends.
Annie’s pride and joy was her granddaughter Julie who enriched her life for the past 42 years as they traveled and attended Michigan athletic events together. This past November was a very special time for her family. Julie’s “Bops,” Bud Stein, received an Honorary M athletic letter posthumously from the U of M’s Letterwinners M Club. Annie felt overwhelmed that he would finally receive this honor that he missed when he left the university during his junior year to serve in the Navy during World War II.
There will be no funeral or memorial service. Donations in her memory can be made to the Letterwinners M Club, 1000 S. State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109.
