Obituary: Steiner, Charles R.
Chuck loved people and always thought the best of them, and most of all loved to hear them talk and tell their stories.
Charles was born in Minneapolis, MN to Irene (Jorgensen) and Alvin Steiner.
In 1949 the family moved to the Okanogan valley in Washington where Alvin was one of the first to grow miniature apple trees.
He grew up with a love of fishing and hiking and developed an abiding love of horticulture.
Chuck - known as “Einstein Steiner” to his classmates - graduated from Oroville high school in 1952 and was voted most likely to learn every language known to man.
After serving two years in the Army, Chuck graduated from WSU in 1960 with highest honors.
Chuck enjoyed a 40 year career in Spokane’s Deaconess Medical Center Laboratory, where he met his wife Betty Crawford.
Chuck and Betty were married in 1963, and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
They were blessed with two children and made their home in the Spokane Valley for 45 years.
Chuck’s Pentax camera captured in slides the transformation over the years of the originally bare acre into a garden oasis, with over 250 rose bushes, 40 fruit trees, miles of grape vines, and expanses of lawn for their kids and all of their friends to play.
Chuck and Betty built life-long friendships with many of their co-workers.
His involvement with evaluating new chemistry test methods and instrumentation led him into the toxicology field where he helped start Deaconess’s Toxicology department, eventually leading the department until his retirement in 2000.
A strong civil libertarian, Chuck never saw a contradiction between the right of employers to screen employees for illicit substances and the right of individuals to make their own choices.
Chuck was an exceptionally hard worker, modeling for his children the value of doing things right, and always striving to better yourself and your work.
He also partook of leisurely hour-long daily walks at lunch.
His gregarious and welcoming manner led him to know not only everyone in his neighborhood, but nearly everyone (and every dog) whose house he passed on his daily stroll - and to become friends with most.
In 2008, family led them to Auburn, WA.
For 40 years Chuck never missed his annual, week-long backpacking trip.
He and Dick Ralston were the constants as other friends came and went.
Their kids, and kid’s friends, joined the tradition when they were young, and his son and his son’s childhood friends carry on the yearly August tradition to this day.
Exercise, interest in people, and trying new things kept Chuck “hanging in there.”
With the help of hiking buddies he was able to continue backpacking and skiing, and with the help of neighbors, he was able to keep the Spokane Valley acre in bloom.
Through the Parkinson’s Center of Spokane, he discovered a singing voice when he became a charter member of The Tremble Clefs.
His path was paved with such loving, wonderful care from dear physicians, nurses, therapists, aides, and in the end, from Janine and Tina from Franciscan Hospice — they all became partners in Chuck’s fight.
Even though he was quiet and unassuming, Chuck leaves a legacy of caring for the earth, devoting time for personal health and wellness, doing what he loved, generosity with his time and with his harvests, and compassion and acceptance for all who crossed his path.
Chuck is survived by wife Betty, daughter Leslie Pobst (Jeff), son R. Marc Steiner (Sarah), granddaughters Lyra and Scarlett Steiner, all of the Seattle area; sister Sandra Haack and brother Ray Steiner, both in California, and six wonderful nieces.