Gary Steinke

Gary L. Steinke passed away on August 5th, 2023 in Charlevoix, Michigan. The son of the late Donald F. and Ella (Clute) Steinke was born In Midland, MI on January 11th, 1947, where he was raised and educated. Gary was actively involved with music at Midland High School, playing several wind instruments in both the band and orchestra.  He graduated in 1965.

Gary is survived by his wife Roberta/Bobbie (Thompson) Steinke, his brother, Greg A. Steinke and his wife Kare (Laren) Steinke and their children Carl A. Steinke and Kyle A. Steinke, his cousins Dana Jo (Steinke) Pijtas and Mary K. (Steinke) Fikes, Kim Steinke, Kirk Steinke, Mark and Linda (Worden) Steinke.  After high school Gary attended Michigan State University, where he received both his BA and MA in Broadcasting/Communications. He received his Doctorate in Film/Communications from the University of Michigan.  Gary spent his professional career as an educator at the University of Tennessee at Martin, where he rose to the level of Full Professor and was co-founder of  UTM’s Communications Department. Gary and Bobbie met at the University of Michigan while Gary was getting his MA degree and they married in the summer of 1975. It was a muffler problem on their car that caused them to stop at a boat marina in the Charlevoix/Petosky area. It was there they met  a mechanic, (Bob Hartman), who shared his love of sailing. His enthusiasm for sailing led them to spend their honeymoon money buying a leaky wooden sailboat. It cemented their love of sailing. Thereafter, they spent every summer in Charlevoix  which served as home-base for their shared passion for wilderness sailing in the Great Lakes.  In addition to sailing, Gary’s hobbies included a love of fixing old tube radios and jukeboxes and being fully engaged in his community and the university.  Anyone wishing to express sympathy are asked to consider a contribution to either:

Humane Society of Midland County

https://hsomc.networkforgood.com/projects/201418-memorial-tribute-donation-page

Charlevoix Area Humane Society:

https://www.charlevoixhumane.org/index.php/support/donate?view=Contributions&task=civicrm/contribute/transact&id=1&reset=1-

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