Obit: Steinke, Dale R. (1932 - 2015)

Contact: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Dunow, Hayes, Heise, Jeppesen, O'Brien, Stange, Steinke

----Source: The Star News (Medford, WI) 2/26/2015

Steinke, Dale R. (8 SEP 1932 - 24 FEB 2015)

Dale R. Steinke, 82, Medford, died on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at his home, while surrounded by his family and under hospice care.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 7 at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Whittlesey, with Rev. Randal Jeppesen officiating, and full military honors performed by Medford Area Military Honors Team.

Interment will be at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Whittlesey. Active urn bearer is Denis Heise. Honorary urn bearers are Tom O'Brien, Pat O'Brien and Harold Stange.

Visitation will be held at the church on Saturday from 9 a.m. until the time of service.

Hemer Funeral Homes of Medford and Rib Lake assisted the family with arrangements.

Dale Steinke was born on Sept. 8, 1932 in Colby to the late Arthur R. and Marion (Dunow) Steinke. He was a graduate of Colby High School. He served in the United States Army from 1950 to 1953 in the 187th Rakasan Airborne where his rank was sergeant, and saw active duty in Korea. He also served in the United States Air Force Reserves at General Mitchell Field in Milwaukee where he was a loadmaster on C-119 cargo planes.

On Nov. 12, 1955 at St. John's Church in Cudahy, he married Carol M. Hayes, who survives. He worked at Ladish Corporation in Cudahy in the inventory control department, then transferred to Houston where he was a purchasing agent. In 1972, they moved to the Medford area where he worked at Weather Shield as the purchasing director until his retirement in 1995. He also served on the Medford City Planning Commission Board.

He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Colby VFW and NRA. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, bowling and golfing and had two holes-in-one at Merrill Golf Club, and was a Winchester rifle historian and had a collection of them.

In addition to his wife, survivors include four sons, Steven (Debra) Steinke of Medford, Darrell (Connie) Steinke of North Fond du Lac, John Steinke of Eagle River and David (Peggy) Steinke of Rothschild; and six grandchildren, Jared, Rebecca, Megan, Mitchell, Michael and Angela Steinke.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to his family to be designated.