Kenneth Steckbauer, of Antigo, died Saturday, February 2, 2013 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland Florida from complications resulting from myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood disorder. He was 92 years old. He was born on December 17, 1920 in Aniwa, a son of Frank and Susanna (Jossi) Steckbauer. He married Catherine Carroll on October 12, 1943 at St. William Catholic Church in Eland. She preceded him in death on November 29, 1999. He later married Patricia (Damp) Meyer on May 26, 2001 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Antigo. She survives.

He was a graduate of Antigo High School with the class of 1939 and farmed in the Aniwa area for several years.

In 1948 he moved to Wisconsin Rapids and began a long career with Consolidated Papers Incorporated. As a power dispatcher he controlled the flow of nearly 100 miles of the Wisconsin River operating the dams from DuBay to Castle Rock to provide hydroelectric power to the plant and area communities. He retired and returned to Aniwa in 1984.

Mr. Steckbauer was a member of the American Power Dispatchers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union (IBEW Local 1147), the Consolidated Tree Farmer Family and the American Tree Farmer's Association.

He was dedicated to his Catholic Faith and was a member of the Msgr. Conrad Saile Knights of Columbus Council 1002, Antigo and the Msgr. Conrad Saile Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Assembly 1214, Antigo.

Mr. Steckbauer will be remembered for his wonderful sense of humor and the things he enjoyed such as meeting new people, walking, genealogy, sharing family stories and history, working and being in the woods, riding on his tractor and in his golf cart, snowmobiling, working with tools, reading, studying maps and reference materials, traveling around the country and in Europe to visit relatives, and being with family and friends whether wintering in Florida or Texas or at home in Antigo with his dog, Jill.

Survivors including his wife Pat are four daughters Mary (Dennis) Ulander, Blair, Nebraska, Ann (Craig) Sheets, Lynnwood, Washington, Jane (Wayne) Turner, Coloma, Susan (Sidney) Hunter, Jacksonville, Florida; six sons William (Catalina) Steckbauer, Pocatello, Idaho, James (Geri) Steckbauer, Kennesaw, Georgia, Kenneth (Jill) Steckbauer, Coloma, Dennis (Jennifer) Steckbauer, Byron, Illinois, Daniel (Lori) Steckbauer, Wisconsin Rapids and Thomas Steckbauer, Marshfield; 16 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

He is further survived by his wife's children: William Nauta, Washington Island, WI, Robert (Kathy) Nauta, Oregon, WI and Carmel Peterson and her husband Duane White, Martinsville, Indiana; three step grandchildren and one step great-grandchild.

In addition to his parents and first wife he was preceded in death by a daughter, Kathleen Ann Steckbauer; a granddaughter in infancy; two sisters Helen Schultz and Laneh Markham; a brother George Steckbauer; many dear cousins especially Johnny (Grace) Steckbauer; a niece, Linda (Howard) Broen; and a great niece Cheri Steckbauer.

A funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, February 12 at 10:30 a.m. at St. John Catholic Church, Antigo with Rev. Charles Hoffmann officiating. Burial will take place in St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery in Aniwa.

Visitation will be 3:30 - 7 p.m. on Monday, February 11 at the Bradley Funeral Home and 9 - 10 a.m. on Tuesday also at the funeral home.

A parish wake service will be held on Monday at 4 p.m., and the Knights of Columbus will recite the rosary at 6:30 p.m. all at the Bradley Funeral Home.

Online condolences at www.bradleyfh.com.

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I lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord who made Heaven and earth. (Psalm 121, v 1 and 2)

I believe I was gifted by God with the best parents I could have had.

My father was a reputable man, an intelligent, hard-working, and humble man, who lived his life as a quiet, shining example of integrity and faith. I believe that his integrity and faith, instilled in him early on by his parents and others he loved, remained firmly with him throughout his life. I am told that as a young man he worked hard but loved to be doing things. As a married man, he loved his wife and children and worked hard to support his family, raise his children, and instill in them the same values he learned and loved.
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Together in the garage, just the two of us, sometimes with a fire burning in the wood stove, my father taught me the difference between a Phillips and a flathead screwdriver, a wrench and a pliers, a table saw and a jig saw.--And I learned determination and perseverance.


As a student with many questions, I often heard, "Did you look it up in the dictionary? Have you read the chapter? Did you look it up in the encyclopedia?" He encouraged me to do my homework, study hard, work hard, be proactive.--And I learned self-discipline--and I learned to enjoy learning.


Only once did my father ask me, "Do you want me to get my belt?" My answer was, "No thank you." Given my options, I thought I could easily modify my behavior to accommodate his wishes.--And I learned obedience.

Mom and I were shopping when I was in high school and we saw a coat that we both liked but it was expensive. She asked Daddy about it and after considering it, he said yes, that I could have it. When I asked him about it, he said that when he was younger he had seen a coat that he wanted, but that it, too, was expensive. He said he calculated the cost of that coat today, using the time value of money, and determined that the two were the same and so he let me get the coat.--And I learned of and marveled at his wisdom.

When I graduated from college, my father said to me, "Now you are smarter than me." I had to be honest with him. I told him, "I may know a couple things in specialized areas that you do not know, but I will never be smarter than you."--And I learned to be humble.

After Mom and Dad retired to the woods, they enjoyed snowmobiling. Once, after Dad and I returned from a nice ride, he asked me if I wanted to take it out. Eagerly, I said yes. He turned it around for me and I hopped on and took off. I headed down the path behind the house and out to the logging road. The wind and open trail felt wonderful and, on my own, I felt free to open it up a little. But when I got to the turnaround by the old camp ground I realized I was in a little trouble. I got off the snowmobile to see if I could reposition it. And there was Daddy! I had no idea how he had gotten there but I was thrilled that he was. He repositioned the snowmobile for me and this time we both got on. I drove back a little more conservatively then, knowing he was there behind me. When we arrived, I asked him how he had gotten there so quickly, just when I needed him. He said that just before I took off he realized I would likely need help at the turnaround so, unbeknownst to me, he had jumped on the back of the snowmobile. Oh, we laughed so hard. And he never said a word about my driving.--And I saw my father's wisdom and my father's love.

The nuns at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School did their best to teach us the Ten Commandments. We memorized them and we learned them. But, in his quiet, humble way, Daddy lived them. The older I grew, the easier it was to see and the more I loved and appreciated him.

He followed through on his commitments. He told the truth and was honest in his dealings. I never heard him swear. When we were together with friends, if someone told an off-color joke, he would not acknowledge it. He was quick to forgive. He was always friendly, eager to help others, and kind to foreigners.

Once, when Dad and Pat were visiting our home, our neighbors, the Mumics, invited us over for coffee and a beer. They planned to install a screen door over their front entry and Dad was quick to help. When he and Ahmet were talking, Ahmet asked Daddy, "Where in Europe were you born?"


Other pearls of wisdom I learned from my father... If you are not condemning it, you are condoning it. Yeah, that really is true. When you are driving, get out of the way. On the road, he never wanted to be in someone else's way. And when you're doing anything, read the instructions first. When he and Pat were living on 10th Avenue, they wanted to put up a shed. Daddy purchased a kit and studied the parts list. Then, before he started to build, he went over every detail of the construction in his mind, and he discovered he was missing some parts.

People who knew and loved him will also remember him for two of his most asked questions:
Where are you from?
Would you like a beer?

In my Father's house, are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there you may be also. (John 14: v 2-3)

I love you, Daddy. I'll meet you at the turnaround.

Now, as my father would say, "That's enough."

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