Obituary of John Fred Steinke

John F. Steinke March 11, 1920 - April 5, 2012 John passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 92. He was born in a sod house on a farm in Garrison, North Dakota, to John J. Steinke and Lydia (Walcker) Steinke. He was from a family of five brothers and seven sisters. John enlisted in the Army in Oct. 1939, at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Bismarck, ND, and was assigned to K Company 3rd Battalion 4th INF REGT., which was a unit of the 3rd INF DIV. This unit was the last Federal Troops to be assigned at the fort. In Dec. 1939, he went by troop train to Fort Lewis, WA, where in the spring of 1940, they became the B Company, 1st BN 15th INF, also known as the Old China REGT "CAN DO". At this time Lt. Col. Dwight Eisenhower was his Battalion Commander. He stayed with the 1st BN 15th INF throughout the war, all ten (ground) campaigns and battles (1942-1945). He returned to the States in July 1945 and enlisted with the Military Police, stationed at Los Alamos, Atomic Lab, NM. He was discharged in 1947, but joined the Army Reserve, until he re-enlisted in the Air Force in July 1950. He served in Korea 1952-53 in security (Air Police) until he retired in May 1965, as a Senior Master Sergeant. After his military service he was employed in security at Walt Disney Productions in Glendale, CA until Sept. 1978. John recently moved to Santa Cruz to be closer to his family. He is survived by two brothers, Alvin and Roy Steinke and one sister, Ester (Steinke) Schmidt; Two daughters and son-in-laws, Sharon and John Perez, and Sandra and Mike Jones; Five granddaughters, Jaymie, Stephanie, Samantha, Kelly and Tiffany; One grandson, John; Three great-granddaughters Emersyn, Kirryn, and Madison, and numerous nieces and nephews. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.