Richard Lee Steinberg

Richard Lee Steinberg passed away with loving family by his side on Friday, January 10, 2020, at the age of 80 years. Richard was born on December 27, 1939 in Tulsa, OK to his parents, Robert and Wilma (Sherrod) Steinberg.

Dick wore many hats! He was a long-time member of Prattville Methodist Church and involved in the Lay Witness Mission, in which lay members of a congregation visited another Methodist church in other cities to share their witness with others. He was a genius at anything mechanical or structural…..He could fix anything, build anything and figure out a better way to do it. He built stock trailers in his spare time from the ground up, even with a professional looking paint job. At American Airlines, where he was in landing gear department for many years, he came up with several major innovations in their processes saving the company a lot of money for the long term, for which he was recognized company wide.

Like most people, the earliest memories of him through the eyes of his children were, wanting to be just like him, following him around, wanting to “help” him fix things, wanting to live up to his expectations of them.

More important, what they learned as they grew up were many life lessons:

Taking care of people he loved:

At the end Grandpa Steinberg’s, my Dick would drive into town every day from Beggs to Broken Arrow to feed him and make sure he was cared for to the end. Taking care of his parents before they passed fell to him and he was very diligent in doing so.

Determination

Tenacity

Hard Work

Even in the late stages of his dementia, in order to have conversation with him and stimulate his mind, his children would share home projects they needed to do – and he could still tell me the best way to “fix it”.

In later years, knowing him as an adult, they learned of many kindnesses to others he never told us of. He would help anyone he knew if they needed him, from repairing someone’s car when it was not affordable for them, rebuilding a barn for a friend after storm (when he was already very physically limited), stopping to help a stranger broken down on the road, helping extended family through hard situations (though not blood related to him). Through any trials of our lives, there was never a question that David and Jeff came first in his life! He was always there for them when they needed him.

Our happiest memories surely were when we were at the lake. This exact spot is where we learned to swim. (thrown out in the middle of the lake with the boat anchored – yes we had life jackets on and we were on a tether!) He was always very protective. This is where we learned to water ski, where we picnicked and just enjoy the outdoors. This is where he was always the happiest and not WORKing!

Dad may you rest in peace. So many memories. Going to the lake, working on projects. I swear you could build or fix anything! Thank you for your lectures, btw I was listening. I will miss your laughter. Your insight, your opinion.

Thank you for helping remodel my den, my plumbing and so many things that without you well probably would have been disasters. Thank you and Rose for putting and supporting me through college giving me the opportunity to still do what I love. Thank you, and I am grateful and thank God most of all that you ARE MY DAD.

I love you Dad, love David and Jeff

He is preceded in death by Robert Steinberg (Father), Wilma Steinberg (Mother).

Richard leaves many loving memories with his family, wife Rose Steinberg; son David Steinberg; son Jeff Steinberg; step-son Kelly Wescott; and step-daughter Tracy Johnson, 6 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchildren.

Jeff and David would like to invite to any of Dads freinds,classmates, coworkers, and family on Sunday January 19th, at 2pm a celebration of Richard Steinberg (my Dad) at Keystone State Park follow pier 51/ Green Country signs. Feel free to share, or say anything you would like, then my Dad will rest in the lake where he taught his boys to swim, ski, camp.

For any information call Jeff 4054649590 or David 2145622793