Klaus Dieter Steinke

Born in Brake Unterweser, Germany, on September 23, 1936. He came into the world during very hard times. He was a child of the Great Depression and war-torn Germany. This was a time when nothing was promised, and one had to find their own way with little financial support from family. Even so, Dad reflected on this without any bitterness and with fond memories of childhood, friends, and adventures.

Dad left home at age 14 in 1950, finding work as a cook on a small freighter sailing between Brake and Denmark. The job lasted for just one trip once he discovered he didn’t have sea legs, choosing the fresh air over the kitchen.

Dad was stubborn, taking another job at sea. He joined the crew of the Berlin as a ship’s boy, ringing the nightly dinner bell. Dad then became a steward, unofficially launching his career in the food and beverage industry. It was on the Berlin where he met his future wife, Hertha, as she accompanied her sister and family back to Germany for a visit. The family was seasick, leaving Mom to dine alone, giving Mom and Dad the opportunity to meet. Once the ship reached Germany Dad was too shy to ask for a date. But the stars aligned when Dad was once again Mom’s waiter on her return trip (she may or may not have asked to be seated at his table). By the time the Berlin docked in Manhattan, he had the nerve to ask for a date. They dated whenever the Berlin was in town, and through letters while he was away.

At 20, Dad needed permission from his father to marry. With the notarized permission slip in hand, the two were married on December 17, 1956, in a hasty ceremony in the pastor’s living room because their witnesses, Jan and Guste Lorenzen were delayed in traffic coming from Long Island. They delayed their honeymoon until the following June. It was a trip to Boston, and they visited Dad’s oldest friend, Peter. It was the first time either Klaus or Hertha had flown in an airplane.

When Dad wanted something, he would go for it, and what he wanted was to work at luxury hotels, and for that, he needed to get into the hotel trades union. He took a job at the Harmony Club, got into the union, then quickly moved to the Savoy Plaza.

In 1960 he was drafted into the US Army before he even became a US citizen. He always described how at that time he felt devastated having been drafted, yet he always said that the experience of serving was an important part of his own formation. He was stationed in Toul, France, working as a transport driver between France and Germany. Hertha joined him and they soon had their first son, Garry. Having a German accent and wearing an American army uniform did not help him feel welcomed by the host country. His honorable discharge from the army was around the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis and he briefly faced the prospect of having his service extended.

In 1962 he returned to civilian life and to his former job at the Savoy Plaza. In 1963 he proudly became a US citizen. Anytime anyone would ask where he was from, he would say “New York”. 1965 found Dad with a new job at NYC’s prestigious and iconic Plaza Hotel. It was the same year of the birth of his second child, Karen. Dad’s fortunes continued to improve and in 1967 the family moved to Seaford, Long Island, had another son, Steven, and created a very stable and loving home.

Summers were the “slow season” at the Hotel, so after buying a new car in 1973 summers were about family trips. We traveled up and down the east coast and across the country. Dad made sure we had coloring books, cards, Mad Libs, anything to keep us entertained in the back seat for those long days of driving. At the end of the day, he always took care of us kids and he would not even consider a motel without a pool. Those moments in the pool were some of Dad’s most playful.

Summers were also a time for Dad to do some ambitious home improvements. Dad had a natural handiness and determination to learn new skills, carpentry, masonry, electrical, and roofing. He embodied a DIY spirit, and his skills were enough to get things done and get into trouble. These projects always created a big stir at home. Often dressed in his worn formal attire repurposed as work clothes for these projects, it was not uncommon to see him hammering dressed in his tuxedo shirt and pants. Sometimes, he took on projects that may have been bigger than Mom even expected. She once came home from grocery shopping to find a hole in the wall separating the kitchen and garage. A door was soon installed. The house they lived in for 50 years became a showcase of his many handy talents.

23 years at the Plaza found him working his way up from Waiter, Captain, Assistant Headwaiter, and finally in 1981 reaching the pinnacle of his career as Maitre d’hotel. A position he held until shortly after the sale of the Plaza in 1988. As children, it was thrilling to hear tales of celebrity-studded events that took place at the Plaza. Sometimes he returned home with autographs and other items. Movie stars, politicians, and athletes were benefactors of Dad’s well-honed talents.

In the following years, he became a free agent of sorts. He worked at the Garden City Hotel, and the Hilton Hotel within the World Trade Center. The first bombing of the Trade Center (and a 60’ hole in the middle of the dining room) had Dad looking for work again. He found that at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He and Mom would split their time between San Juan and Seaford for the next five years.

In 1998, they decided to make retirement full-time. He volunteered at church, serving on the Board, and helping to maintain the building with a small band of fellow retirees. He took up bowling, walking (hand-in-hand with Mom, no doubt), and keeping the house and yard up to his meticulous standards. They traveled with new friends from the ‘Telephone Company’, and with old friends visiting towns and cities across the US, Canada, and Western Europe.

In 2016 they decided to fully embrace the retired lifestyle by choosing a condo over another house and watching the palm trees sway from their balcony in St Pete Beach, FL. He enjoyed this vacation vibe and time with Mom until his passing on April 25, 2023. He slipped away peacefully at home, just as he would have preferred.

Dad, “Tosca” will always be your smell. Your love and care for Mom, an inspiration. Your kindness and generosity to those close to you will be missed. You’ll be in our hearts always.

Dad is survived by Hertha, his wife of 66 years, son Garry (and Mary Anne Rose), daughter Karen (and David Meyers), son Steven (and Mary Kowalczuk), and grandsons John and Karsten. Remembrances can be made to St Jude Children’s Hospital https://www.stjude.org/donate/pm.html?ask_array=none&ds_rl=1285465&ds_rl=1291300&ds_rl=1290690&gclid=CjwKCAjwjMiiBhA4EiwAZe6jQ2IfhczFca8VEJmjw1eCWtIX-7BlyH5GN2xlovtt-JADHn6FZOvoxhoC0mIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sylvanabbey.com for the Steinke family.