Verna Pace Steinmetz, a loving mother, tireless volunteer and fundraiser in the art and education fields, died in Los Angeles June 16, 2011 at the age of 87, after a brief illness.  Born Verna Louise Pace in Los Angeles in 1923, she grew up in San Marino, attending Henry E. Huntington Grammar School and graduating from South Pasadena-San Marino High School in 1941.  She earned a B.A. in History from Stanford University in 1945, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with Great Distinction.

In 1949 she married David Steinmetz and they had four children before divorcing in 1964.  After her marriage, she lived in Beverly Hills for 27 years.  She joined the Los Angeles Art Museum Council and served on its board in several capacities.  In 1963 she organized and directed a group of volunteers to assist with a move to the new Wilshire Boulevard museum and help increase museum membership.  She founded the museum's Service Council, and in 1966 was hired as Coordinator of Volunteer Activity for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, LACMA.  Her many years as a volunteer fundraiser for Stanford University led to a position as Director of Development for Westlake School in 1968.  She then became Associate Director of Development for Stanford University in 1972.  When she retired from Stanford in 1992, she was Deputy Director of the university's Southern California office.  In retirement, she was a fundraising consultant at the Huntington Library, Art Gallery, and Botanical Gardens from 1993-1998.

She was an intrepid traveler, exploring exotic locales worldwide.  She also enjoyed reading, going to the symphony, mastering her computer, swimming, and, in later years, played bridge weekly and became a formidable spelling bee contestant.  She had an indomitable spirit, and enjoyed her life to the fullest, right to the end.  She is a past president of the Phi Beta Kappa Alumni of Southern California, a past board member of the Pasadena Senior Center and the Stanford Associates Board of Governors.  She was a recipient of the Stanford Associates award.

Verna was deeply loved by the many whose lives she touched.  She leaves her loving sister, Lorraine Dennis (SPHS '43) of Pasadena; four children, Donald Steinmetz of Nyack, New York, Julia Breckenridge of Palo Alto, Diane Wolfe of Los Angeles, and George Steinmetz of Glen Ridge, New Jersey; and nine grandchildren.

Pasadena Star-News, June 22, 2011