George A. Steinberger

George A. Steinberger, 79, of Richmond, Kansas, passed away Saturday, February 18, 2017. A rosary will be said at 6:30 P.M., Friday, February, 24, 2017, at St. Therese Catholic Church, 544 E. Central Street, Richmond, immediately followed by a family and friends visitation. Funeral mass will be held at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, February 25, 2017, at the church. The family wishes to invite family and friends to a dinner following the funeral at Celebration Hall, Franklin County Fairgrounds, 1737 S. Elm, Ottawa. Private inurnment will be held at a later date at Saint Bernard Cemetery, Wamego, Kansas. George was born Friday, August 27, 1937, in Steele City, Nebraska, the son of Thomas and Christine (VenJohn) Steinberger. At the age of four, George moved to Louisville, Kansas, to the family farm where he lived until he graduated high school. He also resided in Cleveland, Oklahoma and Manhattan, Kansas, while working on reservoir projects. In 1965, George settled in DeSoto to raise his family, moving later to Olathe, on Homestead Lane, where he lived 30 years. In 2002, he moved to Richmond, where he made his home until his death. He graduated from Wamego High School, and continued his education at Wamego Vocational Technical School. He was a participate in one of the first Kansas State High School Rodeo Finals in 1954 and continued to ride bulls and clown for the Rodeo Association for several years. George was united in marriage with Jane Ann Davenport Leahy September of 1973 in Olathe. She preceded him in death July 16, 1998. He later married Marge Bergen October 5, 2002. She survives of the home. Other survivors include his three children, Angela Gwin of Merriam, Lori Hoffman and husband James of Linwood, and Todd Steinberger and wife Sharon of Ottawa; four stepchildren, Tim Leahy of DeSoto, Richard Bergen of Richmond, Michael Bergen and wife Chris of Kansas City, and Pam Spears of West Virginia; grandchildren, Calley, Rylie, Taylor, Crystal, Trevor, Tyler, Rylan, Johnny, Robin, Patrick, Kelly, and Amber; great-grandchildren, Madison, McKenzie, Jackson, Jeremy, Jessie, Zoey, Harper Joe, Adilynn, Madisynn, Ava, Laney, Bristol, Reagan, Henley, and Alex; nieces, Theresa Breymeyer, Cara Brazzle and Christi Adams McRee; nephew, Michael Adams; and his truck riding companion, Cody. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Christine Steinberger; sister, Pauline Sims; brother, Thomas A. Steinberger; and stepsons, Michael Patrick, Larry Leahy and James Bergen; daughter-in-law, Kelley Leahy; stepdaughter, Gwenn Leahy Cochran; and sister-in-law, Sister Mary Catherine Haidusek. George was employed for Holiday Sand and Gravel as an operating engineer, retiring in 1999. He was a member of the St. Therese Catholic Church in Richmond, and was previously a member of the St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Olathe. He organized the first PWP (Parents Without Partners) group of Lawrence in 1967. He started the AYRA (American Youth Rodeo Association) in 1974 and the CYRA (Christian Youth Rodeo Association) in 2003. He was involved in 4-H during his youth and with his children, continuing to his death with the area children of Franklin and Anderson County. He was a member of Men Under Construction and a men’s prayer group was something he always looked forward to. George enjoyed being a cowboy and volunteering his time to teach and mentor many young cowboys and cowgirls at his Homestead Rodeo Schools for the last 40 years in both Olathe and Richmond. Many of the cowboys and cowgirls that went to his rodeo schools went on to become professionals in the rodeo arena, some making it to the national finals, more than once. He was very proud of all his students and their accomplishments; however, he always told them it was not the buckles they won that made him proud, it was the men and women they had become. The family suggests memorial contributions to the George Steinberger Rodeo Scholarship Fund c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067. Family and friends are encouraged to post their condolences and memories on George’s Tribute Wall at www.dengelmortuary.com