Nadia Steeby

Generous, loving, and kind, Nadia Steeby lived a life rich in faith and family. Nadia’s unwavering trust in God inspired her to live wholeheartedly, serving others at every turn. With steadfast strength, endless love, and enduring positivity, Nadia proved a powerful role model for all who were blessed to know her. A devoted daughter, wife, and mother, Nadia embraced each moment as a gift to be treasured, and the best was always yet to come.

Born on April 18, 1969, in Baghdad, Iraq, Nadia was an only child. After a few years, she moved to England with her mother and grandparents, Ibrahim and Ramza, who were integral to her upbringing. Every morning, she would sneak a coffee in with her grandmother. Even though she was considered too young for coffee, the time and conversation were precious. Her mother was a powerful role model and meant the world to Nadia. Their relationship was a deep comfort throughout Nadia’s life, and the pair laughed a lot and enjoyed sharing time together over coffee and cookies. She then moved to Greece with her mom for a short time.

When she was eight years old, Nadia made the trip to the United States settling in Kalamazoo where she lived the rest of her life. After graduating from Kalamazoo Central, Nadia continued her education at Western Michigan University, where she studied political science and sociology.

In 1990, while at a gathering at WMU, Nadia caught the attention of Mark Steeby. The pair began talking and were instantly smitten with one another. Before long, the couple felt destined to share the rest of their lives and married in 1994.

During their marriage, Nadia and Mark traveled quite a bit, making many trips to Chicago. They also enjoyed bicycling through town, on the Kal-Haven Trail, and Celery Flats. A favorite trip included taking their bikes to Chicago and riding along the shoreline with a beautiful view of the city on one side, and Lake Michigan on the other.

Once their children arrived, Nadia’s focus was on being an exceptional wife and mother. Both proved to be her greatest joy. With immense care, every decision Nadia made revolved around her kids. She was always available to her kids and never missed a field trip or an opportunity to be a chaperone. She enjoyed taking them on bike rides of course, keeping them safe in the carriage as she pulled them through town. Days at their family cottage on Big Star Lake were filled with trips to Jones’ Ice Cream, Mel’s Candy Shop, and lots of swimming, and boat rides. Evenings centered on building a campfire and making s’mores.

Answering the call to serve others, Nadia began working as a volunteer coordinator for hospice in 2007. She was ecstatic when she found this on-call job so she could be home more with her kids and she always left work early to pick them up from school when they were little and bring them back to work with her. More recently, she enjoyed thrifting and reselling on eBay, taking little trips to find things for her hobby, but experienced great joy in finding treasures for her buyers.

Nadia’s Christian faith was the absolute cornerstone of her life. Her confidence in and devotion to her faith were evident in her daily life, and she taught her family to trust in God. She was instrumental in starting an intercessory prayer group at Calvary Bible Church, where Nadia was a true witness to faith. She encouraged others by example and found strength in God. Even as she battled her health issues, she never once wavered in her faith. In fact, her cancer experience increased her devotion to Jesus Christ and her determination to use her life for good. She generously prayed with and for her nurses, lifting them up and sharing the good news. As time progressed, Nadia and Mark stayed closer to home finding time together watching movies, going for walks in the “five acres,” and taking golf-cart rides.

As we celebrate Nadia’s beautiful life, may we find comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying Nadia’s legacy of faith, hope, and love forward. In each moment we choose faith over fear, lead with our hearts, generously share our time and talents in service of others, enjoy a bike ride with loved ones, and find the good in every moment we are gifted, we keep Nadia’s memory alive and inspiring others as she so inspired each of us.

Nadia Steeby of Schoolcraft, age 56, died peacefully at home on January 6, 2026. She was preceded in death by her uncle, Kalid Naoum, and her grandparents, Ibrahim and Ramza. Surviving are her husband, Mark Steeby; children, Ashton Steeby and Jacob Steeby; mother, Mona Naoum; aunts, Margaret Naoum and Huda Naoum; uncle, Riyad Naoum; and several cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, January 13, from 10 AM – 11 AM at Calvary Bible Church, Kalamazoo. A funeral service will begin at 11 AM with a reception to follow. Burial at Schoolcraft Cemetery. Celebrate Nadia’s life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on her dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial contributions may be made to Calvary Bible Church Global Ministries Fund. Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900.