Loyda Orozco Langsteiner

Loyda lived a full and remarkable life. She was 98 years old when she passed away on March 4, 2026.

There will be a graveside service at Memorial Park Cemetery in Columbia Missouri on Thursday, May 14 at 2:00 pm.

We will miss her deeply, but we are thankful for the long life she lived and the example she gave us all.

Loyda was born in Mazatlan Sinaloa Mexico on November 10, 1927.

Loyda had 4 sisters and 5 brothers. At age 20, she married Frank Langsteiner in El Paso Texas and later moved to San Francisco where her children were born. Loyda had a passion for playing the accordion, her family, shopping and the outdoors.

Loyda is survived by her daughter Elizabeth, son Manfred Langsteiner, 8 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren. Predeceased by husband Frank Langsteiner, daughter Frances Langsteiner and son Charles Langsteiner.

My mother believed in hard work, responsibility, and living within your means. She always said, “if you can’t pay for it, you don’t need it.” She paid cash for everything and carried herself with dignity and determination throughout her life.

My mother was widowed at a very young age and left to raise four children on her own. She did this without a formal education and while facing a language barrier, having come from Mexico with very little English. Yet somehow, she never let life defeat her. She worked hard, sacrificed, and always made sure we had food on the table, clothes to wear, and new shoes when school started. She was an incredible provider and even stronger woman.

Mom was born in Old Mexico and came to the United States when she was around 20 years old. She had five brothers and four sisters, and eventually outlived every one of them, though she was not the oldest. My father, the late Frank Langsteiner, traveled to Mexico looking for a bride, and met my mother there. They married in El Paso before eventually settling in San Francisco where Loyda became a naturalized citizen.

My mother experienced many tragedies throughout her life- the loss of her husband, the loss of her parents and sister in an automobile accident, and later the heartbreaking loss of both a daughter and a son. Yet every time life knocked her down, she found the strength to stand back up. She had a will to live unlike anything I have ever seen.

When we lived in Las Vegas, my mother worked on the strip as a hostess and waitress. I remember her telling us about being robbed while walking home one evening and not evening know what to do because she was still learning English and adjusting to life in America. I also remember her telling us about waiting on Ricky Nelson and not realizing who he was until her coworkers excitedly told her afterward.

One of my favorite memories is watching her come home at night with a black stripe apron filled with silver dollars from her tips. She would pour them onto the table, stack them carefully, and count them one by one. Those silver dollars represented hard work, sacrifice, and her determination to provide for her family.

Rest in peace, Mom/Grandma. We love you always.