A. Schieferstein

Anneliese Schieferstein, who lived on Rolling Woods Court in Wainscott for about 25 years, died there last Thursday, five days shy of her 90th birthday. She had been in declining health for some time and in hospice care for about two weeks, said her son, Ernest George Schieferstein Jr.

His mother was always socially conscious, he said. She made blankets for refugees in Europe, prepared food for those in need, and volunteered for what used to be known as the “migrant lunch program” for Catholic Charities on the South Fork, despite not being a Catholic. In time, she ran the program. “She instilled in us a consciousness about the world,” Mr. Schieferstein said.

Born in the small German village of Schlierbach, in the Black Forest, on Sept. 9, 1924, Mrs. Schieferstein came to America at the age of 10. Her father, Baldwin Weiss, had gone to New York to work as a shipbuilder, and sent for his wife, Elsa Berenfeld Weiss, and their three children. They settled in Richmond Hill, Queens.

Despite knowing no English, Mrs. Schieferstein learned the language quickly, becoming an honor student at P.S. 54 within a year. She valued education, her son said, and always called it “the greatest gift.” She loved to read and had a keen interest in history.

When she was 16, she met Ernest George Schieferstein at a Richmond Hill High School dance. They married four years later, on May 4, 1944 during World War II, just before Mr. Schieferstein was deployed to England, and celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary this year. Her husband survives.

After he returned from the war the couple lived for a time in Queens before moving to Baldwin, where they raised two children. Mrs. Schieferstein taught Sunday school there, and took pride in her garden. Locally, she was a member of Incarnation Lutheran Church in Bridgehampton.

They Schiefersteins moved to the South Fork, where they had long visited friends, after Mr. Schieferstein retired. His wife volunteered for many years at the Southampton Hospital thrift shop, in addition to Catholic Charities.

Besides her husband and her son, who lives on North Haven, she leaves a daughter, Kristine Kim of Wainscott, and three grandchildren. Her siblings, Margaret Smith and Fredrick Weiss, twins, predeceased her.

A service was held on Monday at the Yardley and Pino Funeral Home in Sag Harbor. Burial followed at Calverton National Cemetery.

The family has suggested memorial donations for East End Hospice, P.O. Box 1048, Westhampton Beach 11978.