Henry Steinkamp, Jr.

HENRY STEINKAMP, Jr., Age 91, born on the 21" of November 1917, in Crawford, Texas, the 9th child of Henry and Mathilda Pruess Steinkamp, passed away peacefully in Richmond on the 23rd day of 2009. Henry graduated from Texas A&M University in 1940 with a BS in Agricultural Engineering and accepted employment with the Soil Conservation Service moving to San Angelo and then Big Springs, Texas. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, he volunteered in the Army Air Corp then enlisted in the United States Navy. He entered the Naval Academy at Annapolis where he was commissioned an Ensign and sent to the South Pacific. He served on the USS Tracey receiving training in mine warfare, becoming the Mining Officer, Assistant Deck Officer, Assistant Gunnery Officer, Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Grade and Sr. Grade Lieutenant. While serving on the USS Tracey, the crew cleared mines in the Nagasaki harbor after Hiroshima, and participated in the Battles of New Hebrides, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, the Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands, Saipan, Bougainville and Tinian. He received the Pacific Asian medal with eight silver battle stars for service in WWII. In 1941 he met Mary Robin Benton on a blind date and while on leave from the Navy, they married on July 12, 1944 in Waco, Texas. Upon his discharge from the Navy, Henry and Mary returned to Texas with Henry working again for the Soil Conservation Service in Rosenberg. He bought a farm in Needville and moved his family there. In 1951, he became the Area Engineer for the Soil Conservation Service also launching his own Consulting Engineering and Surveying Company that same year. Through his company he designed & surveyed numerous projects in the area including Turkey, Snake and Big Steep Bank Creeks, Brazos Bend State Park, Rosenberg's 4th Street, Hine's Nursery, Richmond's George Street Water Tower, Streets and Drainage for the Richmond State School and River Oaks Country Club and surveyed Sugar Land's Venetian Estates. Always the entrepreneur, he owned rental property as well as bought and sold other real estate. Henry was a member of, as well as, on the Board of Directors of the Rosenberg Lions Club, served as Sunday School Superintendent and on the Immanuel United Church of Christ Church Council of Needville, furnished Little League uniforms, served as City Engineer for the cities of Missouri City, Richmond, Beasley, and Kendleton, past board member of Needville ISD, a member of Rosenberg's St. John's United Church of Christ, member of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and numerous professional associations. Upon selling the Needville farm, he and Mary moved several times living in Sugar Land for a number of years and then back to Rosenberg. He retired in January 1982 and traveled the world with Mary. Upon her death in 1991, he enjoyed attending the Rosenberg Senior Citizens, the coffee club at K-mart, Wal-Mart and Kroger's and playing dominos. Along with his parents and wife, he is preceded in death by his sisters, Malinda Luedeker, Alvina Heideman, Emma Lauter, Lena Lippe, Freida Emsoff and brothers Edwin, Fred and William Steinkamp. Henry is survived by his daughters; Linda Bob Roach, Judy Jean Steinkamp, Jerry Anne Kaluza and husband Kelly, Robyn Lee Neel and husband Ken; Grandchildren; Natalie Janik and husband Paul, Christie Dull and husband Chris, Jennifer King, Jami Alford and husband Steve, Jonathan, Joshua, Emily, Benjamin and Brian Neel. Great Grandchildren; Joy Barlow, Jack, Luke and Logan Janik, Kirstin Perkins, Alexandra and Nicolette Alford and Megan Dull. Niece; Doris Pawelak and husband Rudy; Nephew Harold Heideman and wife Peggy as well as numerous other nieces and nephews. Honored to serve as casket bearers during the service are Danny Marek, James Syptak, Paul Janik, Chris Dull, Jonathan Neel and Joshua Neel. Honorary pallbearer will be Bill Crippen. The family thankfully acknowledges the caregivers at Greatwood Retirement and Assisted Living and Richmond Health Care Center along with domino partner Gladys Maresh. A Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Wednesday, March 25, 2009 in the State Room of Davis Greenlawn Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held 11:00 A.M., Thursday, March 26, 2009 at St. John's United Church of Christ in Rosenberg, Texas. Burial is at Greenlawn Memorial Park following the service. Dr. Dale Staggemeier will officiate the services. Memorials in Henry's name may be made to St. John's United Church of Christ, 1513 West St., Rosenberg, Texas 77471. Condolences may be left for the Steinkamp family at www.davisgreenlawnfh.com. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Davis-Greenlawn Funeral Home, 3900 B.F. Terry Blvd., Rosenberg, Texas 77471, 281-341-8800.

Tributes

Henry Steinkamp, Jr.

November 21, 1917 - March 23, 2009