Dr. Ronald P. Steiger

Ronald was born on the 29th of December 1939 in a log cabin on a dairy farm in Potosi, Wisconsin to Arthur Charles Steiger and Mabel Catherine Grimesey. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics and Chemistry. He received a Ph.D in Physical Chemistry from the University of Iowa. He was a Postdoctoral Associate at Rice University and an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Texas Southern University.

Ron worked at Exxon Production Research Company for 26 years, where he received 15 patents and two awards from the National Academy of Sciences for his research. He has authored over 30 research publications.

Ronald loved to travel for business and pleasure. He visited over 60 countries around the world. Ron and Sherrie took many trips together after he retired in 2000. They particularly enjoyed two trips to Russia and many trips to Europe and Asia. He was an avid snow skier and snowboarder. The family skied in Colorado and Utah many times. He also loved to water ski and wakeboard, taught many friends and their children how to water ski and wakeboard, and still enjoyed wakeboarding at 75 years of age. He was also an avid tennis player at Westside Tennis Club until he was 80 years of age.

Ron was a great storyteller. Good friend, Mina Patel said he would get a twinkle in his eye when he was about to tell a story. It was often about his childhood growing up on a dairy farm, his adventures traveling the world, talking about the oil business, Sherrie’s cooking and her red tulips or his son, Joe. He loved watching football and basketball games of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and University of Houston Cougars. He would call his brother Roger back and forth during the games to discuss the plays. Ron said he was happy he was able to survive another Iowa football season. Ron also enjoyed taking long walks with his West Highland Terrier, Davy Crockett.

He is preceded in death by his parents and older brother, Terry Steiger of Madison, Wisconsin. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Sherrie Steiger; son, Joe Steiger and his wife Kollette Kee Steiger of Houston; grandson Zachary Kee-Clemmer of Austin; sister, Carol Hird and her husband Lyle of Naples, Florida; identical twin brother, Dr. Roger Steiger and his wife Penne of Greensburg, Pennsylvania; sister-in-law, Mary Jo Steiger, wife of Terry of Madison, Wisconsin; many nieces and nephews, and many great-nieces and great-nephews.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from six o’clock until eight o’clock in the evening on Friday, the 1st of December in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

The funeral service is to be conducted at ten o’clock in the morning on Saturday, the 2nd of December, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons.

Honorary pallbearers are Matt Connor, Jack Funk, Ozzie Gonzalez, Mark Hird, Steve Hird, Darren Rosenbaum and John Steiger.

The interment will follow, via an escorted cortege, at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston.

As Ron was treated at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center for bladder cancer for three years, the family requests with gratitude that in lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions in his name be directed to MDACC-Siefker Bladder Fund, 1155 Pressler Unit 1374, Houston, TX 77030.

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