Alvin H. Steinke

Alvin ?Al? H. Steinke, 76, of Benton Harbor, died Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at Lakeland Hospital, St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life service will be held 1:00 P.M., Friday May 27, 2005, with Rev. Dr. Donald W. Herdman officiating at St. Luke?s Lutheran Church, 5020 Cleveland Avenue, Stevensville. Burial will follow in North Shore Memory Gardens, Coloma. Visitation is from 5:30-8:30 P.M., Thursday, at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorial Donations may be made to the American Heart Association. Those wishing to send a condolence message or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Al was born to William and Augusta (Treichel) Steinke on March 14, 1929, in Benton Harbor. Al graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1946. He married Helen DeFreese on September 24, 1950, at St. Matthew?s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Benton Harbor and they were married for almost 55 years. He worked as a supervisor for Ausco in St. Joseph for 46 years. Al loved to dance. He was a member of the DANK and Michigan Round Dancers Association. He gave many Round Dance lessons and presented at Round Dance National Conventions. Al also enjoyed baseball; he played in high school, Junior and Senior American Legion, and coached in Fairplain. Al was always helping people; he would plow the neighbors? driveways in the winter. Al and Helen lived their whole life in the same house that Al built with his own hands. Al is survived by his wife Helen; children- Bruce (Debbie) Steinke of Knoxville, TN, Jody (Dave) Williams of Portage, MI, Kevin (Rebecca) Steinke of Stevensville, and Chris Steinke of Phoenix, AZ; grandchildren- Jennifer Van Deventer of Baroda, Jeremy Steinke of St. Joseph, Grant Williams of Portage, MI, and Kyle and Ryan Steinke of Stevensville; great-grandchildren Mikayla and Dustin Van Deventer of Baroda; and a brother Wilbur Steinke of St. Joseph. Al was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers; and three sisters. Al was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He never hesitated to tell his family that he loved them.