Elizabeth Swann Steffanic

On May 19, 2026, Heaven welcomed a radiant soul when Elizabeth Swann Steffanic — known and beloved by family and friends as BA or Betty — passed peacefully from this life. She was the daughter of Captain Edgar Allen Swann, an Army chaplain who gave his life in service in 1944 before he was able to meet his daughter, and Helen Elizabeth (Lib) Surber. Betty had a remarkable gift for making others feel at home. Her warm and generous spirit drew people naturally to her, and she was never one to shy away from speaking her mind — a quality those who loved her treasured deeply. She had a great love of singing, Christmas, vivid colors, and her signature shade of chartreuse. A lifelong Virginian, Betty was raised in Alexandria and graduated from George Washington High School in 1962. She earned her degree from Emory and Henry College in 1966, followed by a Master of Education from George Mason University in 1984. For the next 35 years, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to educating young children in Prince William County elementary schools, leaving a lasting imprint on countless young lives. Betty met the love of her life, James (Jim) Steffanic, while both were living in Manassas. Together they made their home in Haymarket, and for 35 wonderful years they explored the world side by side — traveling the country in their motorhome. Betty chronicled every adventure in lovingly crafted scrapbooks, which she delighted in sharing with anyone who cared to look. The couple also maintained a winter retreat near North Fort Myers, Florida, where warm sunshine, golf cart rides, and cherished friendships filled their days. Jim preceded her in death in 2017. At home in Haymarket, Betty was a dedicated and accomplished gardener, tending a sprawling near-acre vegetable garden with great care and pride. Each fall she canned and froze her harvest, and her celebrated pickles — preserved in generous gallon jars — became the stuff of legend. She guarded her recipe with a smile and never gave it up. Among Betty's most cherished gifts was the extraordinary depth of her friendships. During her high school years, she and six dear friends — Joanne Lee, Julie Hill, Becky Kincaid, Caren Hill, Kathy Richards, and Analee Atabay — formed a bond that would endure a lifetime. Two more treasured companions, Mary K. Manoogian and Martha Moore, joined the circle during her college years. Together they celebrated weddings, welcomed children and grandchildren into the world, and sustained one another through sorrow — a sisterhood that only deepened with time. Betty is survived by her cousin and childhood companion Martha Hendley; her stepdaughters Deborah Samsel and Kathryn (Tarney) Sooksanguan; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and the many friends whose lives she brightened simply by being present in them.

Elizabeth Swann Steffanic

August 15, 1944 - May 19, 2026