 Irene S. Steinbach(June 4, 1915 - May 2, 2007)
Irene S. Steinbach, 91, of 40 Grove St., Mayville, passed away on Wednesday, May 2, 2007, at Mayville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
She was born June 4, 1915, in Iron Ridge (town of Hubard), Wis. She was the daughter of Edwin E. and Rona Suhr Schwandt. Irene vas baptized at home on June 20, 1915, by the Rev. H. Sanrock of St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Hustisford, and confirmed on Sept. 2, 1928, by the Rev. William E. Staehling of St. Michael's at his other country church, County Line Immanuel Lutheran Church, 10 miles west of Waupun.
Irene attended the one-room Rex School, over a mile from her farm, for seven years (she skipped third grade) at a time when there were no snowplows or buses. She graduated in 1932 from Horicon High School as valedictorian.
Irene was a member of the Jonquil Girl Scouts and was editor of the school newspaper, Marsh Breezes. She received her degree in business education from Whitewater State Teachers College (now UW-Whitewater) in 1936 and continued her advanced work at Whitewater and Marquette University. She also had scholarships at UW-Platteville and Trees for Tomorrow.
Her teaching experience in business education (typing, office practice, shorthand, accounting and business law) included two years at Reedsburg High School, six years at Oshkosh Senior High School, 32 years at Mayville High School plus advisorship for many classes. She retired June 5,, 1985, after a total of 40 years in Wisconsin high school classrooms. Her Oshkosh experience also included four years of teaching office machines at Oshkosh Vocational School in night classes and being an officer of the Oshkosh Education Association and chairman of the O.E.A. Professional Committee.
Irene's professional memberships include lifetime memberships since 1936 in the National Education Association, Wisconsin Education Association Council and Wisconsin Education Association. She was also a Friend of Concordia University Wisconsin-Mequon.
She was married to Harry O. Steinbach on June 24, 1944, at St. Michael's Lutheran Church by the Rev. George Beckman. They lived in Mayville all their married life and Irene continued to live in their Mayville family home since the death of her husband on Aug. 7, 1973. Health challenges caused her move to the Mayville Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in December 2006.
Irene was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Mayville, since 1944. She taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School and served as piano accompanist for both. She was a member of the choir in the 1950s, when the new church was built and dedicated. She was a member of St John's Dorcas Society since Dec. 8, 1955, holding various offices, and she was involved in a variety of other church pursuits.
She was a member of the Mayville Garden Club since its organization and of the UW Extension Homemakers Club-The Seekers, serving as president of both; the Horicon Marsh International Education Center; and the Mayville Museums. She served as a volunteer at the Mayville Limestone School Museum and the Hollenstein Carriage Museum. Her civic activities included president of the Mayville Women's Club, chairman of the Mayville Swimming Pool Council, publicity chairman of the Mayville Blood Program, clarinetist in the Iron Ridge Community Band and accompanist of the Mayville Civic Chorus.
A lifelong learner, Irene's other interests included genealogy and traveling in all 50 states, nine Canadian provinces and 11 times to Europe, including international business education conferences in Bern, Switzerland, and Helsinki, Finland. Irene took a broad spectrum of courses with Elderhostel at various Wisconsin colleges, a total of 14 since retirement.
Other highlights of Irene's life: 1) Irene was a faithful diarist — the gift of a small diary in 1927 in seventh grade has resulted in recording every day of her life since then, continuing for 80 years. She made her last entry on April 16, 2007.
2) In 1941, a surprise check of $25 picnic profit for all regular members of the Iron Ridge Band-after five years, received for the first and only time, resulted in her purchase of a lifetime subscription to the Reader's Digest from October 1942, a total of 65 years for the $25. (Current one-year subscription price is $11.95.)
3) Her report of a phase of remodeling their 1909 home was featured in Successful Farming and Better Homes & Gardens magazines in 1954, "Life Begins at 40 — For Furniture Too."
4) Hobby photography — This Day magazine carried her Mayville Golf Club Rock River "Four Seasons" calendar in January, 1959 and her winning entry to their 1963 contest, "How Your Family Observes Christmas."
5) Her collection of vinegar cruets was featured in Hobby magazine and her collection of holiday crèches in Wisconsin newspapers.
6) After her retirement, her well-known miniature typewriter collection was accepted by the Wisconsin Board of Regents for UW-Whitewater. It is on display at the School of Business and Economics, Carlson Hall, with captions identifying many Mayville High School students as craftsmen and donors. This collection, besides its Mayville High School and civic showings, was invited to travel with her for exhibits to: a) the University of North Dakota-Grand Forks (twice) for the World Institute of Office Technology, b) Gregg Methods Conference at UW-Whitewater Center of the Arts (these conferences involved more than 400 educators from North and Central America), c) Moraine Park Technical College, Fond du Lac, d) Future Business Leaders of America Conference.
Monona Grove High School, e) three more showings for various groups at UW-Whitewater, including her 50th class reunion and others. All sharings involved oral presentations. The Collection was pictorially featured in Business Educators World, Hobbies, a national magazine; Grand Forks Daily (also on their radio and TV-KTHI); The Fond du Lac Reporter; The Beaver Dam Daily Citizen and The Mayville News.
Survivors include two daughters (both teachers), Julie Kay Steinbach of Claremont, Calif., and Loris Mae Steinbach (Patrick) Pretty of Cedarburg; and four Schwandt nephews, Gary (Sandy) of Mayville, Mike (Georgi) of Portage, the Rev. Richard (Jean) of Hickory, N.C. and Morry (Eileen) of Iron Ridge; and other nieces and nephews; relatives; and many friends.
Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Harry; and her brother, Everett H. Schwandt.
Services: Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 6, 2007, at St. John's Lutheran Church, Mayville, with the Rev. James Mallmann officiating. Burial will be at St. John's Cemetery, Mayville.
Visitation: Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 5, 2007, at Koepsell Funeral Home, Mayville, and also from 1 to 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 6, at St. John's Lutheran Church.
Memorials may be given to St. John's Lutheran Church, Mayville, Concordia University, The Harry O. and Irene S. Endowed Scholarship Fund or Mayville High School Scholarship Fund.
Irene's glass desktop at home held a favorite quotation of hers, by Henry Adams (1838-1918): "A teacher affects eternity. She can never tell where her influence stops.” (Feminist pronoun editing compliments of her daughters.)
Koepsell Funeral Home, Mayville, is serving the family.
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