Family newsletter · June 2008

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!
Steiner Family Newsletter
June 2008 Volume 2, Issue 4
He n r y THo m a s Bu r g e s s s Te i n e r
Fe Br u a r y 15, 1920
He was born Henry Thomas Burgess Steiner, but we
all have known him as “Tom.” Third born son to
Harry and Edith Steiner.
Born: February 15, 1920
Died: January 4, 1989 (Alzheimers and
Parkinson Disease)
Cemetery: Tippecanoe Memory Gardens
Profession: Press Operator, Peerless Wire Goods
Wife: Wyoma Bagby
Born: January 28, 1923
Married: (marriage ended in divorce)
Wife: Aletha Margaret Garriott
Born: May 28, 1921
Died: September 14, 1995 (Lung cancer)
Cemetery: Tippecanoe Memory Gardens
Married: June 26, 1948

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! Steiner Family Newsletter Page 2
Henry Thomas Burgess “Tom “ Steiner was the 3rd
oldest of the eleven children. Like his older brothers Fred
and Erv, Tom lived on the farm until, at the age of 7, they
moved to Lafayette, Indiana. Tom attended grade school at
St. James Lutheran in Lafayette. He was baptized and con-
firmed there. Tom went on to attend Jefferson High School
where he graduated in 1939.

Tom’s father died when he was 16. It was at that age that
Tom started delivering papers for the Journal and Courier
to earn money to help out his mother and younger brothers
and sisters. Later on they would remember Tom as a big
brother who was helpful, caring and with a good sense of
humor. When not in school or working Tom loved to play
checkers with his Mom and later on would spend hours
with his own children doing the same.

After high school Tom briefly worked at Peerless Wire
Goods with his older brother Fred. Peerless eventually
was shutdown for the war effort so Tom went to work
at the new Alcoa Plant where he would work with his
younger brother John. Tom and John would later combine
the money they made at Alcoa to buy their mother a new
washing machine.

On December 5, 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked and the
next day the United States entered World War II. In Octo-
ber of 1942 Tom was drafted into the Air Force and was
the first of the brothers to go. Tom would have basic train-
ing in Miami Beach, Florida and be trained as an Electri-
cian’s Technician and later Aircraft Mechanic. Tom was
never one to boast about his training. He said once it was
really just a matter of removing and replacing. Throughout
his time in the Air Force Tom would continue to send a
portion of his pay back home to help out the family. Tom
eventually reached the rank of Sergeant and was stationed
in many places around the world including Puerto Rico,
England, France, North and South Africa. Tom was honor-
ably discharged in 1945 and returned to Lafayette.

Just prior to the start of the war, one week after Pearl
Harbor Tom married a woman named Wyoma Bagby (born
1/28/1923). The family doesn’t know much about her or
the marriage except that Tom, while overseas, received
a “Dear John Letter” from her. Shortly after Tom was
discharged from the service they divorced. There were no
children from this marriage.

Tom went back to work for Peerless Wire Goods after
the he returned to Lafayette. His job there was as a press
operator manufacturing wire shelves for refrigerators and
ovens. The environment there was not at all like many fac-
tories today. It was a very dark and dirty place and very hot
in the Indiana summers. After a single days work Tom’s
work shoes and socks would have dozens of small holes in
them from the welding sparks burning through them. But
Tom was a dedicated and hard worker. His family remem-
bers their father coming home every night dirty but with a
smile on his face. Many times they wanted to promote him
to supervisor but he always said no, that he didn’t want
to be boss. Tom would eventually work there 39 ½ years
when Peerless closed their doors for good.

In 1947, at a dance, Tom’s Friend Larry “Sonny” Garriott
introduced him to his little sister, Aletha. Years later Aletha
would recall how handsome she thought Tom looked that
night. Soon they began dating and on June 26, 1948 they
were married. The wedding was held at Trinity Evangelical
and Reformed Church in Mulberry, Indiana with a recep-
tion at the Hurby Garriott farm. Attendants to the wedding
were Hurby (Jude) Garriott Jr. and Selma Moore.

Tom and Aletha devoted their lives to their five children:
three daughters and twin sons. His children remember their
Dad as someone they wanted to spend time with. When he
came home from work we would all run to him and pile on
top of him. We remember the many hours he spent building
us a playhouse in the backyard. Matt and Mike remember
trying to build a go-cart once. Dad came down to see what
they were doing. They thought he would be mad for using
his tools and wood. But instead dad helped them build it
the right way. Tom was a very even-tempered man. We
hardly ever remember him getting angry. He was also the
first to help a strange in need, to give someone a ride, jump
a car with the dead battery or push a car stuck in the snow.
Because we lived on a hilly street when we were grow-
ing up giving cars that were stuck in the snow a push was
something Matt and Mike remember helping Dad do. We
also remember Dad was a night owl; He would stay up late
at night watching old movies. Laurel and Hardy was one of
Dad’s favorite. Dad’s laugh would trigger anyone else’s in
the room.

Tom loved playing cards with his brothers and sisters and
later his own family. He always amazed us with his sharp
memory of which cards had been played and knowing
what cards must be left in hands. He never cared about
winning and was the first to laugh at being “euchred” by
someone else.

Dad also loved to bowl. He bowled with the same group of
guys for 42 years! He was President and Secretary of his
league at one time. He maintained a bowling average of
around 175 for most of his life. He bowled in many tourna-
ments and did well in several of them. Nancy remembers
bowling with Dad in the 1975 city tournament. Nancy had

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! Steiner Family NewsletterPage 3
a pretty high handicap with a low average. She had an
exceptionally good game that day. (Maybe because she was
7 months pregnant.) They ended up with a high score. Dad
was pretty happy and proud about that. In 2005 Tom was
inducted into the Bowlers Hall of Fame.

During the seventies Tom worked both a day job at Peerless
and also a part time job at Shoppers Fair department store
to better provide for his family. After the closing of Peerless
in April of 1979 Tom went to work at Purdue as a mainte-
nance and utility man. He worked there for about 5 years
until he retired on disability in 1984.

Tom developed symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in the
early eighties. Later on he also was diagnosed with Parkin-
son’s disease. It was hard to watch the disease progress.
Dad’s sense of humor was replaced with confusion and
paranoia. After a fall resulting in a broken hip and as the
Alzheimer’s became more and more pronounced Tom was
eventually cared for at the Indiana Veteran’s Home. Tom
died there on January 4, 1989.

Tom was very proud of his family and they were equally
proud of him. Tom was not a man of material possessions
but a simple man who asked for very little. What he had he
shared with other. His sense of humor and optimistic out-
look taught us to appreciate simple things. We didn’t have
a wealth of material possessions, but we had each other.
Most valuable to him were his wife, and five children, his
grandchildren and his siblings.
June 26, 1948 - Wedding Day
(Selma Moore, Aletha and Tom Steiner, and Hurby Garriott)
Edith Steiner, Aletha and Tom Steiner, and Lillie and
Harby Garriott at wedding reception at the Garriott farm
Lee and Tom get together with family (Selma Moore and Johnny
Steiner) and friends.
Gathering probably at Mom Steiner’ s house (bottom L to bottom
R - Lee Steiner, Sissy Kemery, Hazel Braun, Adie Hawk, Dick
Kemery, Jim Moore, Tom Steiner, and Irene Hawk).
Tom loved to bowl. He was very
involved in the league during his
42 years in the sport.
In 2005, he was posthumously
inducted into the Bowlers Hall of
Fame.

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! Steiner Family Newsletter Page 4
Baby Gini Steiner
CHi l d r e n o F To m a n d a l e T Ha s Te i n e r
g r a n d C Hi l d r e n o F Ha r r y & e d i T H s Te i n e r
Virginia “Gini” Sue Steiner Kelly Nancy Jo Steiner Kroll
Born: July 10, 1950 Born: August 26, 1951
Died: May 15, 2005 (Leukemia) Profession: Oklahoma State University
Profession: Social Worker Husband: Larry “Bucky” Miller
Husband: William “Bill” Kelly Married: December 6, 1969 (marriage ended
Born: March 15, 1944 in divorce)
Married: July 14, 1989 Husband: Craig Kroll
Married: (marriage ended in divorce)

Beth Diane Steiner Lancaster
Born: March 1, 1954
Profession: Beth’s Cleaning Service
Husband: Richard Thomas Lancaster
Profession: Truck Driver
Born: May 27, 1952
Married: August 30, 2003
Matthew Burgess Steiner Michael Burgin Steiner
Born: September 19, 1959 Born: September 19, 1959
Profession: Subaru Isuzu Automotive Profession: Artist, Animator
Wife: Debra Jo March Wife: Lora Ann Bundza Sagraves
Profession: X-Ray Technologist, Purdue University Profession: Operation Mgr., Medical Practice
Born: December 28, 1959 Born: April 9, 1958
Married: Octoer 22, 1983 Married: October 11, 2003
The Family - Mike, Matt, Tom, Lee, Nancy, Gini,
and Beth
The newborn twins
Matthew and Michael Steiner
Tom with his girls Tom and young Beth

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! Page 5 Steiner Family Newsletter
s Te p -d a u g H Te r o F m i C Ha e l s Te i n e r
Scarlett Sagraves
Born: January 24, 1991
CHi l d r e d o F n a n Cy a n d l a r r y m i l l e r
g r a n d C Hi l d r e n o F To m a n d a l e T Ha s Te i n e r
g r e a T g r a n d C Hi l d o F Ha r r y & e d i T H s Te i n e r
Krista Lynn Miller
Born: March 5, 1975
CHi l d o F Vi r g i n i a “g i n i ” s Te i n e r
g r a n d C Hi l d o F To m a n d a l e T Ha s Te i n e r
g r e a T g r a n d C Hi l d o F Ha r r y & e d i T H s Te i n e r
Chad Thomas Burgess Steiner
Born: May 6, 1972
s Te p -CHi l d r e n o F Vi r g i n i a “g i n i ” s Te i n e r Ke l l y
Leann Kelly
Born: March 5, 1966
Shawn Kelly
Born: March 12, 1973
Don Kelly
Born: August 26, 1978
Joy Kelly
Born: June 23, 1981
CHi l d r e d o F m a T T a n d d e B s Te i n e r
g r a n d C Hi l d r e n o F To m a n d a l e T Ha s Te i n e r
g r e a T g r a n d C Hi l d o F Ha r r y & e d i T H s Te i n e r
Aimee Danelle Steiner
Born: October 31, 1985
Ryan Matthew Steiner
Born: December 27, 1987
CHi l d r e d o F Be T H a n d r i C Ha r d l a n Ca s Te r
g r a n d C Hi l d r e n o F To m a n d a l e T Ha s Te i n e r
g r e a T g r a n d C Hi l d o F Ha r r y & e d i T H s Te i n e r
Stephanie Diane Lancaster
Born: February 12, 1982
Allison Leigh Lancaster
Born: October 11, 1985
Megan Marie Lancaster
Born: February 6, 1989
CHi l d r e d o F n a n Cy a n d Cr a i g Kr o l l
g r a n d C Hi l d r e n o F To m a n d a l e T Ha s Te i n e r
g r e a T g r a n d C Hi l d o F Ha r r y & e d i T H s Te i n e r
Brian Craig Kroll
Born: August 29, 1985
Four Generations of Steiners
1972
Edith Nelson Steiner
Henry Thomas Burgess Steiner
Virginia Sue Steiner
Chad Thomas Burgess Steiner
Grandpa Tom with his first
grandchild, Chad in 1972
Grandpa Tom with his first
granddaughter, Krista in 1976.

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! Steiner Family Newsletter Page 6
g r a n d C Hi l d r e d o F g i n i a n d Bi l l Ke l l y
g r e a T g r a n d C Hi l d r e n o F To m a n d a l e T Ha s Te i n e r
g r e a T g r e a T g r a n d C Hi l d o F Ha r r y & e d i T H s Te i n e r
Joseph Thomas Steiner Born: July 6, 1991
<Child of Chad Steiner>
Bradley Cook Born: March 5, 2005
<Child of Jo Kelly Cook>
g r a n d C Hi l d r e d o F n a n Cy s Te i n e r Kr o l l
g r e a T g r a n d C Hi l d r e n o F To m a n d a l e T Ha s Te i n e r
g r e a T g r e a T g r a n d C Hi l d o F Ha r r y & e d i T H s Te i n e r
Robert Dean Hunt IV Born: March 30, 2002
Alexa Katherine Hunt Born: May 5, 2004
Rachel Kay Hunt Born: February 5, 2007
Cole Thomas Hunt Born: February 5, 2007
<Children of Krista and Robert Hunt>
g r a n d C Hi l d r e d o F Be T H a n d d i C K l a n Ca s Te r
g r e a T g r a n d C Hi l d r e n o F To m a n d a l e T Ha s Te i n e r
g r e a T g r e a T g r a n d C Hi l d o F Ha r r y & e d i T H s Te i n e r
Brooklyn Diane Moffatt Born: July 5, 2000
Madison Bell Moffatt Born: october 17, 2005
<Children of Stephanie and Mark Moffatt>
Brothers, Tom and John Steiner <back row>
brothers, Mike and Matt Steiner <middle row>
Chad Steiner<front row>
Family gathering
<front row - Chad and Krista; second row - Aletha, Gini, Nancy,
Beth and Stephanie; and back row - Tom, Matt, Mike, and Dick> Christmas 1986
<front row - Debbie, Stephanie, Dick and Krista; second row -
Matt, Aimee, Beth, Allison, Tom, Nancy, Brian, and Craig; back row
- Aletha, Chad, Gini, and Mike>
Christmas 1987
<front row -Stephanie; second row - Dick, Debbie, Ryan, Tom,
Allison, Brian, Aletha and Aimee; back row - Craig, Nancy, Chad,
Mike, Gini, Matt, Beth, and Krista>

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! Page 7 Steiner Family Newsletter
Miscellaneous pictures of the family of Tom and Aletha Steiner
<it isn’t to hard to recognize who is who!>

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! Page 8Steiner Family Newsletter
Virginia Sue Steiner Kelly Family
Bill, Gini, Joy, Joey, and Chad
Nancy Jo Steiner Kroll Family
Top Left - Nancy Kroll
Top Right - Brian Kroll
Bottom Photo
Front row - Robbie Hunt
Back row - Rob, Cole, Alexa, Rachel
and Krista Hunt

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!Page 9 Steiner Family Newsletter
Michael Burgin Steiner Family
Lora, Mike, and Scarlett
Matthew Burgess Steiner Family
Aimee, Matt, Debbie, and Ryan
Beth Diane Steiner Lancaster Family
Front row - Brooklyn, Dick, Beth, and
Madison
Back row - Stephanie, Mark, Allison, and
Megan

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! Page 10Steiner Family Newsletter
Well as you can see, Beth, Nancy, Matt, and
Mike gathered information and pictures for the
June newsletter. Many thanks to all of them for
working together on this project. I hope you all
are noticing as we see the different generation of
pictures, just how strong the genetics are. I con-
tinue to see the faces of our parents in our genera-
tion and the next. Next month is John Steiner. I
have lost contact with Kathi and my efforts haven’t
produced any contact info. So I will do my best
next month, but I would appreciate any stories
or special information you might like to share on
Uncle Johnny.
Again, please keep me posted of changes in ad-
dresses or email addresses of anyone in your fam-
ily. We want to get the newsletter to all the Stein-
ers we can. Don’t forget the reunion is Sunday,
July 20th at the Frankfort Park. Pam
Rodney Troxell (40) 6/2
Anna Troxell (37) 6/4
Shelly Steiner (31) 6/4
Jim Steiner (67) 6/5
Autumn Burnham (23) 6/9
Gabe Golba (35) 6/13
Stacey Rhymer (31) 6/14
Chris Rhymer (35) 6/16
Ryan Troxel (31) 6/19
Joy Kelly Cook (27) 6/23
Collin Beck (12) 6/23
Joannah Braun Williams (47) 6/26
Joshua Steiner (27) 6/26
Harry Steiner 6/28
Joshua Briscoe (32) 6/29
June
Birthdays
June Angelversaries
Katherine Louise Steiner Troxel
6/24/1989
Robert David Biery
6/26/1985
Jim and Lela Steiner - 46 years
6/3/1962
Angela and P. J. Obrien - 4 years
6/5/2004
Tom and Aletha Steiner
6/26/1948
May and June Weddings
Congratulations Graduate!
Aubrey Beck, daughter of Dana Steiner
Beck, graduated in late May from Harri-
son High School. Aubrey will be attend-
ing Purdue University in the fall of 2008
in the Krannert School of Business.
You go girl!!
Congratulations to Shawn and Darcy
Keegan. They were married in a small
ceremony on May 31st.
On Saturday, June 7th, Josh and Amber
Briscoe exchanged vows in an evening
ceremony in rural Lafayette.
In next months issue we will have pictures for both of these
weddings. Also we may have two new Steiners to annouce if
the stork arrives as planned for two others couples!