Dorothea Denison Stedman Stieff

Dorothea Denison Stedman Stieff, known as ‘Dottie,” died peacefully at age 97 on Saturday, January 17th, 2026, at the Blakehurst Retirement Community in Baltimore, Maryland where she had resided since 2002. She was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1928, to Arthur Brewer Stedman and Dorothea Keeney Stedman. Dottie was a graduate of The Oxford School in Hartford, CT and attended Bradford Junior College in Haverhill, MA; later she attended classes in the College of Adult Undergraduate Studies at Notre Dame of Maryland University. In 1948 she moved to Baltimore and married Rodney Gilbert Stieff, of the Kirk-Stieff silver company. Dottie thrived in many areas of life, relishing her role as mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and wife. She had a lifelong interest in the theater, performing with the Junior League Follies and singing with The Larks of that organization; performed in Paint and Powder productions, and with The Brown Memorial Players who took their plays to the Chapels of the Naval Academy and Princeton University, and at Hood College. She participated in numerous programs at The Woman’s Club of Roland Park where a member since 1950. She was a former guide with the Downtown Discovery Tours of the Baltimore Promotion Council; a former tour guide at the Maryland Historical Society (now MCHC); and a puppeteer volunteer at GBMC where she gave puppet shows to children about to undergo tonsillectomies. She wrote and presented puppet shows featuring Pete the Porcupine and Chipper the Raccoon, enjoying presenting these not only at Blakehurst, but also at birthday parties and schools in Baltimore and in the Chapel in Weekapaug, RI. Dottie taught 8th grade drama at St. Paul’s School for Girls, in Brooklandville, MD. Dottie was a Board Member of the Pickersgill Retirement Community, Towson, MD. A member of the Art Seminar Group. Member of the Woodland Garden Club; Baltimore Country Club and Elkridge Club, in succession; and clubs in Rhode Island. In addition to being a former parishioner of Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church, in recent years she was a communicant at The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer. Dottie enjoyed sailing with her husband and joining him on business trips which took them around the world. She enjoyed tennis, reading, knitting, rug-hooking, ocean swimming, golf and bridge. She is survived by four daughters, eight grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Dorothea Denison Stedman Stieff

August 7, 1928 - January 17, 2026