We Remember...

In loving memory...

This page is dedicated to Sets in Step friends who are no longer with us.
We know Heaven must have some great squares!

Joan Walker
1932-2024

Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada as Joan Lenor Cartmell, she spent her childhood laughing and playing with her cherished older sister Doris (Dodie). In 1943, the Cartmell family moved to Vancouver. She married Noll Walker in 1952, and gave birth to her beloved son Douglas the next year. Joan and her family moved to Los Angeles in 1964. There, Joan worked as a bank teller for many years. She also learned to square dance, one of her great passions. She eventually settled in Glendale, where she continued to square dance with partners and friends for the rest of her life. She enjoyed trips to the theater, collected colorful square dance outfits, had impeccable taste in jewelry, and loved a good cup of tea and a slice of pumpkin pie (with ice cream, of course). Joan passed away peacefully in her sleep on Thursday, March 7th, at 91 years of age. She knew that laughing and loving, giving and caring – and dancing, of course – were the keys to a life well lived. An inspiration to us all, she will be missed. We were all blessed by her kindness and friendship.

Betty Sharp

On September the 10th, 2023, we lost our dear friend and long-time member, Betty Sharp. Betty has not been able to dance with us in recent months, due to illness, but she kept up with the club's activities and stayed in touch with friends for as long as she was able.

Betty and Bud Sharp joined the club in 1971. We lost Bud quite a few years ago, but Betty remained an active dancer and club member. Over the years, Betty served the club in many capacities, but she will be remembered most for her indominable spirit and sense of fun.

Richard Seger 1931 - 2022

Richard was born in Hollywood, and lived for most of his life in Southern California. He danced with Sets in Step from 2011 - 2017. In 2017 he moved to Texas to live closer to his daughter Melinda and grandkids. Richard passed away in late October 2022 following a brief illness, surrounded by loved ones.

Richard served in the U.S. Navy 1950-1954, during the Korean War aboard the U.S.S. Princeton, AntiSubmarine Squadron. He was married to Mary Katherine Rycroft (1931-2008) in 1954, and moved to Glendale where they enjoyed 54 years together and raised twin daughters, Melinda and Katherine.

Before he retired, Richard was an electronics engineer in the aeronautical industry. One of his inventions, along with a co-worker, was the Radar Altimeter, found in almost all aircraft today. Before this invention, altitude was measured from sea-level. The Radar Altimeter measures altitude from the terrain, helping pilots to avoid objects above sea-level.

Even after he left Sets in Step and moved to Texas, Richard stayed in touch and mentioned often how much he enjoyed reading about our club's activities. An intelligent, kind and generous person, he will be greatly missed.

Vance Nelson, 1924 – 2022

In February of 2022 our good friend Vance Nelson went to join his dear Margie in Heaven. One of the “pillars of the community,” Vance had been a member of Sets in Step for many years. He and Margie joined the club in 1964 and were staunch supporters of all our dances and activities.
In 1943 Vance joined the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific Fleet. After he returned home, he and Margie married in 1947. They had three children: Vard, Boyd, and Anita, three grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
Over the years Vance developed a love for spelunking. He became a member of the National Speleological Society, and loved to visit caves with fellow explorers – climbing and repelling down to see the marvels below ground.

When Margie died in 2012 it was a sad loss for our club, but friends rallied around Vance. He remained active in the local community in many ways, including helping to organize the annual flower sale to raise funds for the La Canada Flintridge Rose Parade float. He enjoyed playing bridge with friends, and was a member of the La Canada Presbyterian Church.

A man with many talents, he was known in our club as one of our best dancers. Throughout his later years he continued to be enthusiastic about dancing and everyone who met him was touched by that enthusiasm. We will miss him, and are grateful for all the time we got to spend with him.

Marguerite Keating

We were very sad to say goodbye to our dear Marguerite Keating, in late February of 2021. Marguerite was a member of our club for many years, always with a smile, always willing to pitch in and help. An expert seamstress, Marguerite was the person who got us all in our multi-colored floral outfits that we all wore in the late 1990's through the first couple of decades of the 2000's. She served as the club's publicity chair for many years, and hosted the team of people who put together our club's History Project for the 60th anniversary. Her life was not always easy, but through it all she always kept a positive attitude and spread joy to whomever she was with.

Helen Adele Steadman (1928-2021)

Helen joined Sets in Step in 1990, and over the years she helped our club in more ways than can be counted. Serving as our club Treasurer for many years, she was always at the front table, greeting people as they came in for the dance. We will miss her kind and generous attitude.

The following is shared with permission from Helen's loving family:

Helen is remembered with great love by her family and many friends. She was born in Washington D.C. and moved to California as a very young girl. An alumna of UCLA, she taught English in Japan in the 1950’s. After returning to the United States, she continued her career in the Burbank School District retiring after 40+ years of teaching elementary school. Many of her students stayed in touch with her throughout her lifetime and often told her about the positive impact she made on their lives. She cherished those connections.

Helen was a teacher in and out of the classroom. She loved to travel and brought back wonderful stories and photos of her global adventures. She enthusiastically incorporated her travels into her teaching and brought the world to her students. Family gatherings always included a slide projector and portable screen. After retiring, she and her two sisters, Margie and Anne, began their annual tradition of the “Sisters Trip” alternating who planned and surprised the other two. For over 20 years they enjoyed globetrotting together through Mexico, Canada, Europe, and many U.S. states traveling by train, airplane, boat, car and even hot air balloon.

Throughout her lifetime and especially in retirement, Helen volunteered countless hours to her many passions including her church, square-dancing, cancer patient care, and Daughters of the American Revolution.

Above all, Helen was dedicated to her family. She was deeply loved by all her nieces and nephews who affectionately called her A.H. (Auntie Helen). She was actively involved in all their lives and always had open arms, an open heart, and a willingness to help in any way she could. Helen had a special gift of knowing how to be present in the moment and how to truly show how much she cared about each of us. Perhaps her great nephew, Dane, says it best, “I’ll always remember how Helen would stop, look me in the eye, and ask, ‘Now, how are you, dear?’ That was indicative of exactly who she was; someone who was so greatly loved because she greatly loved and shone the light of our Father. She was my great-aunt who was affectionate, genuine, and always ready to catch up over a cup of tea. We look forward to seeing her again soon, sitting with some tea, and hearing all about Heaven.”

Sharon Martin 1/24/1938 – 7/22/2019
We are very sad to announce the passing of Sharon Martin.
Sharon was born in South Dakota on January 24, 1938. She was a resident of La Crescenta for over 40 years. Sharon lost her 12-year battle with cancer on July 22, 2019, at her home, surrounded by family. She is survived by her longtime partner, Rudy Dremely, two sisters, Donna Kaufman and Jill Keenan, two daughters, Kimberly Nida and Paula warner, her niece and nephew, Karen Hooper and Keven Gravier, three grandchildren, Kathryn Nida Albers, Richard Nida, and Maxx Warner, and her great grandson Mason Albers.

Sharon retired from the United States Post Office after 35 years of service. She was an avid wood worker, completing many beautiful projects. She square danced for many years and belonged to several clubs, and she was a member and volunteer at the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum in Vista, CA since 1985. Sharon served on the Crescenta Valley town council for many years, volunteered for AARP during tax season and was on the California Election Board.

Sharon was a member and good friend of Sets in Step for many years, and we will all miss her very much.

Bill Rathfelder 6/20/1929 - 3/26/2019

Sets in Step friends and family are sad to announce the death of Bill Rathfelder.

Bill was born in Los Angeles, the eldest of three children of Charles and Lillian Rathfelder. He attended LA City College and later transferred to UCLA, majoring in aeronautical engineering. He and his wife Dorothy had two sons, David and Robert. Bill worked briefly for Century Engineers and then moved to Lockheed, as a designer/drafter. Over his long career at Lockheed, he worked on a multitude of different types of aircraft, and airplanes were a lifelong interest. He also was an avid beekeeper and grower of orchids. Bill attended Mount Olive Lutheran Church in La Crescenta, and was active in many things including playing hand bells and choir. After his wife's death, he took up square dancing. Bill was a graduate of Sets in Step's 2012 class, and was a regular at the club as Marguerite's partner.

Bill passed away peacefully in Glendale, CA on March 26th, surrounded by his family and loved ones. The square dancing community will miss him.

Charles Brandt 7/14/1959 – 8/1/2018

Sets In Step, and the whole Square Dancing community, have lost a good friend. Charles Brandt was taken from us at a much too early age, on August 1, 2018.

He was born in Evansville, Indiana, and grew up in Mesa, Arizona, and Glendale, California, graduating from Herbert Hoover High School. Charlie started to go to square dances with his parents Melvin and Carrie Brandt as a child, and decided to take it up himself as a teenager. He was a wonderful dancer, able to do both the men’s and ladies’ parts with ease.

Charlie developed Diabetes in his early 40’s, and unfortunately because of it he became legally blind. But with his amazing memory and many years of square dancing behind him, that wasn’t enough to stop him from continuing to be a great dancer. He joined Sets In Step in 2013 and immediately became a favorite in the club. He was always ready to help be an angel at the classes, or announce upcoming dances at visits to other clubs or be host at our after dance meetings. In June 2017 he was voted in as Co-President of the Club and was still serving in that capacity that at the time of his death.

Charlie had a history of heart problems and in June of 2018 had a pacemaker/defibrillator inserted to help his heart beat properly. Unfortunately, there must have been too much damage to the heart and he passed away quickly in his new home at Broadview Residence for the Retired.

He was preceded in death by his mother in 1985, followed by his father in 1995, and his oldest sister, Carol, in 2003. He is survived by his twin sisters, Nancy and Barbara, his beloved Aunt Angless, and numerous nieces and nephews. The family have suggested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Charlie's memory to the Braille Institute.

We will always remember Charlie for his intelligence, good humor, willingness to help in whatever way he could and dedication to Square Dancing. All of his friends in the square dance world will miss Charlie and will remember him with love.