Check your settings when you are happy with your print preview press the print icon below.

Show Obituaries Show Guestbook Show Photos QR Code Print

Ruth 'Chickie' Alice Steiner

May 22, 1930 - February 6, 2016

Service Date February 15, 2016

Memorial services will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, Feb. 15th at Behrens-Wilson Funeral Home with Father Bill Zandri officiating.

Share your Memorial with Family & Friends

Ruth Alice “Chickie” Steiner passed away of natural causes at her home inRapid City, SD, on February 6, 2016. Memorial Services were held at theBehrens Wilson Funeral Home in Rapid City, SD, on February 15, 2015.Born on May 22,1930, in New England, ND, to Alicia and Nickolaus Brown,she graduated from St. Mary’s High School in New England beforeattending college at University of North Dakota, Grand Forks andUniversity of Arizona, Tucson. She married Jacob P. Steiner (Jack) ofAmidon, ND, on August 31, 1950. They lived in Omaha, NE, while Jackattended Creighton School of Dentistry, then moved to southwesternNorth Dakota in 1953. Together they had ten children.Determined, ambitious, hard working, and smart, Ruth returned to collegein 1967, enrolling in one the first classes of the School of Nursing atDickinson State College. After graduation in 1969 she completed hercertification as a registered nurse, then practiced nursing for more than30 years. She became the sole support of her family after the early deathof her husband in 1977.By avocation, she studied American history, especially of the Civil War,the settling of the American West, and Native American tribes. She leftNorth Dakota to travel and explore; her jobs reflected this. In the 1970’sshe was employed by the Indian Health Service and worked in Parker, AZ,Mt. Edgecumbe, AK, and Rapid City, SD. Drawn by her love of the desert,she worked in Mesa, AZ, in the 1980’s, when her younger children were inhigh school, then took contract positions as a traveling nurse in order tosee the rest of the U.S.Ruth had many “go-by” names—Ruth, Chickie, Ruthie, Mom or GrandmaRuth, depending on her history with a person. Never judgmental, she sawthe best in everyone. More importantly, she helped people see the best inthemselves. By her generosity and with her ready smile, good humor, andinterest in the world, she made friends wherever she lived, yet was stillthe matriarch of a family of ten children, seventeen grandchildren andstep-grandchildren, and twenty great-grandchildren. Making nodiscrimination on the basis of biology, demonstrating that to love was anopportunity, not an obligation, she embraced her step-grandchildren, in-laws,nieces, and nephews. A prolific correspondent, she wrote lettersregularly, and to all, saving thousands sent by them to her. On her finalday she talked to her family several times, planned out a gift for agranddaughter, had Valentines in her mailbox and flowers at her door.She is was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. and Mrs. N.J. Brown, asister, Nicole Joy (Nikki) Brown, a brother, Norman R. Brown, and herhusband, Dr. Jacob P. Steiner. She is survived by her ten children, JosetteS. Hatter, Paul T. Steiner, Gregory J. Steiner, Timothy G. Steiner, Dr. MarkA. Steiner, Mary B. Fein, Leon M. Steiner, Kristin J. Steiner, John (Jack) P. Steiner, Sarah S. Morris, and the aforementioned grandchildren and great-grandchildren.Correspondence may be addressed to Josette S. Hatter, 23297 PompeiiDrive, Dana Point, CA 92629.

 
Web Design by Mile Up Marketing Solutions