Mary

Mary Helen (Keller) Steinle was born on December 15, 1929, in Decatur, Alabama, to Earle Frederick and Helen Louise (Rice) Keller. She died at her home in Springfield, Missouri, on March 27, 2025, at the age of 95. Mary’s early life was spent in several places, including Austin, TX, and Wichita, KS, where she graduated from high school. She was an only child and her parents loved her dearly. She attended Kansas University in Lawrence, where she studied interior design and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She met her husband, Jack Preston Steinle, at KU, and they were married on August 15, 1950.

After her husband completed law school, they moved their family to Aurora, Missouri, where they lived and raised their children until they moved to Mt. Vernon, MO, for his position as Associate Circuit Judge. Mary Helen never worked outside the home, but she enrolled at Missouri State University (then Southwest Missouri State) and completed her degree in Art Education at the age of 54. After retirement Mary and Jack moved to Bella Vista, Arkansas, where they made many friends and enjoyed the outdoors. Mary Helen was an avid lifelong reader, and she instilled her love of reading in her children. She was artistic and creative, enjoying painting and crocheting until her later years. While living in Bella Vista, she learned to play golf, and she joined a tap-dancing group of ladies who performed at local nursing homes and other venues. She loved traveling and seeing new places throughout her life. She spent her final years in Springfield, MO, close to her children, who enjoyed spending time with her. Her beloved caregiver and friend, Wendy Neff, also made her life easy and happy.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 67 years, and her son, David Earle Steinle. She is survived by her remaining children—April Ann (Steinle) McDonough (Charles), Dr. Jeffrey Dean Steinle, and Crystal (Steinle) Graham (Dan); her grandchildren—Erin Hladik, Patrick McDonough, Joel Steinle, Arwen Pratt, Lindsay Harden, and Paige Lukachick; and thirteen great-grandchildren.

A private graveside service will be held at Maple Park Cemetery in Aurora, Missouri.

Mary loved receiving her monthly delivery of specially selected books from the Walking Books Program at the Springfield-Greene County Library. Contributions may be made to the library in her memory.