Reverend Mr. Ronald Steinkamp
Reverend Mr. Ronald Frederick Steinkamp, 74, passed peacefully June 10, 2018 in High Point, North Carolina. Born in Coffeyville, Kansas on August 9, 1943, his hometown was Quincy, Illinois. Ron was the eldest son of Virginia Anna Eva (Fredericks) Steinkamp Steiner and Roger Frederick Steinkamp. He graduated from the University Of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1965 and held a B.S. in Economics. He began his 40 year business career with Armstrong World Industries and retired from Thomasville Furniture Industries, in 2005 as Senior Vice President of Manufacturing. He held positions in facilities in Massachusetts, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina. Ron was married to his wife, Bette Jean (Werneth) Steinkamp, also a native of Quincy, Illinois, for 53 years. They moved to North Carolina in 1988 and lived first in Thomasville and then in High Point. The largest part of his career was spent in Virginia where he also served on a parish council and a building committee and was instrumental in the establishment and construction of a Catholic Church, Our Lady of Peace, in Appomattox. During those years, Ron was a Boy Scout leader and he and Bette provided a home to many children in need through foster parenting. Ron was an avid gardener his entire life.
Ron was ordained a Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church by the diocese of Charlotte in 1995 and was assigned to Our Lady of the Highways parish in Thomasville, North Carolina. In 1999, he was assigned to St Pius X parish in Greensboro, North Carolina. He completed his M.A. of Theological Studies in 2010 from Quincy University. He also served, after appointment by the Bishop, as the Director of the Permanent Diaconate program for five years and as an Advocate for the Annulment Tribunal for the Diocese of Charlotte for thirteen years. He was active in the Cursillo movement, the Catholic Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) and he was a 3rd Degree Knight of Columbus.
He is survived by his wife, Bette, their daughter, Emily Jane Steinkamp Gomes and her husband, Mark Gomes, son, Roger Craig Steinkamp and his wife, Milagros, grandsons Jonathan Gomes, Joshua Gomes and William Steinkamp. Also surviving is his mother Virginia Steiner, brother, Kent Steinkamp, sister, Judith Steinkamp and many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father and by his sister, Linda.
IN GREENSBORO, visitation will be held on Thursday, June 21, 2018 from 7-9 PM at Hanes Lineberry funeral home with a Mass of Christian burial to follow on Friday, June 22, 2018 at 11:00 AM at Saint Pius X Catholic Church in Greensboro. IN QUINCY, visitation will be held on Monday, June 25th from 4-7 PM at Duker & Haugh Funeral Home. Fr. Tom Donovan will officiate the graveside interment service at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, June 26th in Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Hayworth Cancer Center, 302 Westwood Ave, High Point, NC.
Bette and family—De Colores and peace to all of you as we celebrate Ron’s life of service to Jesus.
I remember Ron well, it sounds like he led a very giving and loving life. I am so sorry for his family.