Thomas Steinke

Thomas J. Steinke, age 78 of Little Falls, MN passed away Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at his home in Little Falls, MN after a two year battle with Multiple Myeloma. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, October 2, 2010, at 10:00 A.M. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Little Falls with the Rev. Nick Landsberger officiating. Interment will be in St. Mary's Cemetery in Little Falls. Friends may call from 4-8 P.M. Friday and Saturday from 8- 9:30 A.M. at the Emblom Brenny Funeral Service in Little Falls. Parish prayers will be said at 5:00 P.M. Friday evening followed by a Christian Mothers Rosary at 6:30 P.M. at the funeral chapel. Military rites will be conducted by the Camp Ripley Honor Guard. Thomas John Steinke was born in Richmond, Stearns County, Minnesota on April 22, 1932 to the late Joseph and Clara (Borgerding) Steinke. Raised in Eden Valley, Minnesota, he graduated from Eden Valley High School in 1950. Tom attended Dunwoody Institute for one year before serving in the U.S. Navy from May 28, 1951 to May 25, 1956, receiving an Honorable Discharge. While in the military, Tom received the Navy Occupation Medal and the National Defense Ribbon. Upon his discharge from the Navy, he attended Saint Cloud State University and earned both a Bachelors and Masters degree in Industrial Technology. He was united in marriage to Ramona Miller on August 29, 1959 at Assumption Parish in Morris, MN. Their marriage would be blessed with five children. He began his teaching career in Grey Eagle, MN and taught there for three years before joining the faculty at Little Falls High School, where he established the first electronics program in the school. He was a Past President of the Central Minnesota Industrial Arts Association and was honored in 1980 as the State of Minnesota Industrial Arts Teacher of the Year. He retired from teaching in 1991 and remained active in the community by serving as President of the Rotary Club, volunteering with "Let's Go Fishing" and participating in many ways within the community and St. Mary's Church. Tom loved the Minnesota outdoors, and enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing and gardening. Tom loved his family and was a wonderful husband, a caring and loving father and grandfather, and he held a special devotion to The Blessed Virgin Mary. Left to cherish Tom's memory are his wife, Ramona; children, Beth (Glenn) Miller of Minnetonka, MN, Mary Steinke of Little Falls, MN, Tom (Marlene) Steinke of Columbia Heights, MN, Joan (Thomas) Vitro of Naperville, IL and Will (Lottie) Steinke of Edina, MN; eleven grandchildren, Jack Miller, Anne Miller, Joseph Miller, Juliana Steinke, Henry Steinke, Christopher Vitro, Catherine Vitro, Sarah Vitro, Sofia Vitro, William Steinke, Jr. and Greta Steinke. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph & Clara Steinke; siblings, Ernest Steinke, Cecelia Willis, Elizabeth Ruhland, Celestine Steinke, Sister Mary Celeste Steinke, O.S.F., Sister Mary Judith Steinke, O.S.F., Bernadette Mareck, Helen Foster, Catherine Laffin, Bernard Steinke, Joseph Steinke & David Steinke and a grandson, Piter Steinke.