William C. Bill Steiner, 81 a life-long Mankato resident, died Monday night, August 18, 2003 at his home.
Memorial service 11:00 a.m. Thursday at the First Presbyterian Church, Mankato, with Rev. Dawn Carder and Rev. Paul Collier officiating. Private family interment services at Pilgrims Rest Cemetery, Mankato. Visitation on Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. at Mankato Mortuary. If so desired memorials may be given to Schola Foundation, Lloyd Scholarship Fund at M.S.U. or an organization of the donors choice.
He was born in Mankato October 5, 1921 to William F. and Eva (George) Steiner. He attended and graduated from Mankato High School, starring in three sports. His high school coach, Louis Todnem, called him the greatest athlete he had ever coached. Bill was recruited to the University of Minnesota by the legendary Bernie Bierman. He played one year behind Heisman Trophy Winner, Bruce Smith, before transferring back to become an all-conference back for then, Mankato Teachers College.
During World War II, he enlisted in the U. S. Marines, becoming a first lieutenant and serving as a forward observer on Iwo Jima. He returned after the war, marrying his high school sweetheart, Mickee Lloyd on January 26, 1946. They brought two sons into the world, Peter Lloyd and William Chris, Jr. After selling the family drug store, Bill joined A.G. Scheidel in the insurance business. He later opened the Steiner Agency and then joined Vern Orcutt and Con Sletta to form the Insurance Center.
From 1949 to 1958, he coached football, basketball and baseball at Mankato Loyola. In 1958, he helped open the Loyola Youth Center in DeSmet Hall, with Father Erwin Czarniecki, S.J. He also served on the Y.M.C.A. Board and the Agents Advisory Board for both Milwaukee Mutual and Milbank Mutual Insurance Companies. In 1995, he was inducted into the Loyola Hall of Fame. In 1977, he and Mickee bought a houseboat, on which they spent many happy days on the Mississippi River out of Wabasha.
Bill Steiner is survived by his wife of 57 years, two sons and their wives, Peter and Jeanne and their daughters, Grace and Julia; Billy and Patti, and their son Dylan; sister and her husband, Marilyn and Jim Korth; many beloved nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, mother and a granddaughter, Lauren.