Our two angels, Rebecca Ann Steffek , age 9, and her little sister Julie Ann Steffek, age 6, both of Hallettsville, together went to their heavenly reward on Thursday, March 21, 2013. The girls had very different personalities, but they were inseparable, even in the end. Rebecca was born September 22, 2003, and Julie was born June 23, 2006, to Raymond and Michele Mills Steffek, Jr. of Hallettsville. Julie and Rebecca went to Sacred Heart Catholic School in Hallettsville where Julie attended first grade, and Rebecca was in third grade. Rebecca was baptized on October 26, 2003, and Julie on July 8, 2006, and Rebecca received her First Holy Communion on April 22, 2012, all at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Rebecca and Julie lived short lives, but they both lived life BIG. Rebecca was a serious student, making all As, and hoping to be a teacher one day, and Julie was her student when they played school. She had a big heart and wanted everyone to be friends. She enjoyed helping her mom with the residents at the nursing home where her mom worked; she loved spending time outside with her dad hunting and fishing, or just throwing softball in the yard. Rebecca and Julie, as young as they were, stayed very involved in school activities. They enjoyed attending mini-cheer camp and mini-twirling camp, attending football games, and just playing on the playground with all their friends. Julie was the one with the endless energy. She loved riding her scooter on the carport with Becca, swimming, and jumping on the trampoline, visiting with the nursing home residents at her mom's work, fishing and squirrel hunting with her dad, and climbing on everything, and she loved being barefoot! It did not matter how cold it was outside.

Both girls cherished the time they spent with their older sister, Heather, and brother, Michael, and their families, and playing with their niece and nephews. They enjoyed the time they spent at home playing video games with their brothers, Andrew and William, shooting basketball, and riding around the pasture on the golf cart with them. Being the only two granddaughters on their daddy's side of the family, they also loved the time they spent with their boy cousins, making them laugh with their girly ways. Becca wrote a note to her Granny and Grandpa Steffek not too long ago thanking them for helping "to raise her." The girls spent a lot of time at Grandpa and Granny's house when they were not in school and they loved helping their Granny make pies, coloring pictures for them, picking the garden with Grandpa. Becca and Julie spent precious time with their Grandma Peggy while she lived in Hallettsville, and missed her when she moved to Michigan, asking about her often. Their big hugs and their sweet smiles will always be treasured and will truly be missed.

The joy, laughter, and energy that these two angels brought to our lives will always be remembered by those who look forward to seeing them once again in heaven. These survivors include their parents Ray and Michele Steffek, brothers Andrew and William Watson of Hallettsville, Michael Torres of Yorktown, and sister Heather Torres of Arizona, grandparents Raymond & Virginia Steffek of Hallettsville, and Peggy Grove of Michigan, four nephews and one niece, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and great-aunts and uncles. Rebecca and Julie also will be missed by many classmates, staff, and friends at Sacred Heart Catholic School, and by many friends from the community. Preceding them in death is their grandfather Douglas Mills of Michigan.

Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m. at Kubena Funeral Home on Sunday, March 24, 2013, with a rosary to follow at 7 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The funeral mass to celebrate their lives will be at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Monday, March 25, 2013, at 2 p.m., with the burial to follow at the S.H. Catholic Cemetery.

Pallbearers are their cousins Luke Steffek, Collin, Cade, Clint and Carson Brewer. Honorary pallbearers are their first and third grade classmates.

The family requests that memorials be made to the Sacred Heart Advanced Learning Center Building Fund or charity of the donor's choice.

The support and prayers from the entire community are deeply appreciated by the family, as is the support shown to Sacred Heart Catholic School by the surrounding community schools. This great outpouring of love in this time of such tremendous loss is a beautiful tribute to the number of lives touched by these two sweet girls, even in their short lives. As Becca wrote on one of her drawings, "Love one another as God loved you." We feel very loved by all the support. We are blessed with many wonderful memories. It seems God takes the best. He is being very entertained by His two new little heavenly angels. We love you, Rebecca and Julie; we always will.