Barbara Steiniche was born in Washington D.C. on Jan. 20, 1913 and passed away on Feb. 24, 2017 in Fountain Hills. She spent much of her life in Washington State and in Illinois but also lived significant time in Iowa, Colorado, Missouri and most recently, Fountain Hills.
She acquired an undergraduate degree at the University of Washington-Seattle and a Master’s degree in nutrition at the University of Iowa. She was employed as a dietitian when she met her future husband, Dr. Aage Steiniche, at a hospital in Gary, Indiana. At first meeting, Aage complained about the hospital food and Barbara said, “If you don’t like it, eat somewhere else.”
After marriage, Aage practiced family medicine in Dwight, Ill. both before and after World War II. They had three children, David (Brenda), Winston and Karen (Richard) Sowar; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Aage died in 1995.
David’s wife, Brenda, was a companion and caretaker in Barbara’s later years. Barbara was active in the community of Dwight, including service on the school board, and playing organ at a Lutheran church for many years. She traveled extensively in the United States and abroad, including Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Costa Rica.
As a hobby, Barbara was a scholar on Nobel Peace Prize winner (1952) Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965), who was a philosopher (“reverence for life”), theologian (the historical Jesus), organist (interpreter of Bach), author, physician/surgeon, and humanitarian who operated a hospital in Africa. An essay she wrote on Schweitzer won national recognition.
Barbara had many friends locally at Fountain View Village, where she lived and held the status of oldest resident at 104 years of age, but with a spark and wit many years younger. She could still dance the Charleston, which she learned in the 1920’s, until the last few months.
When asked how she happened to live so long, she would attribute it to a sense of humor, and wonder as exemplified in the words of Albert Einstein, “to know that what is impenetrable to us truly exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, which our dull faculties comprehend only in their most primitive forms.
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