Alfred W. Steinke

On February 17, 2019, we lost a beloved husband, father, uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather at the age of 95. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am Friday, March 8, at Lutheran Church of the Cross, 1004 E Highland Acres Rd, Bismarck. Cremation has taken place. Internment will take place at 11:00 am, Friday, October 11, at Gethsemane Church Cemetery, Rural Tolna, ND. Alfred Walter Steinke was born November 18, 1923 and was raised on the family farm near Tuttle, ND. Alfred received an agricultural engineering degree from the North Dakota Agricultural College (now NDSU). He worked as an irrigation engineer at the Bureau of Reclamation for 30 years. After retiring from the federal government, he traveled throughout North Dakota working for Old West Regional Commission and FEMA. During much of his working career, he also farmed his beloved land just east of Bismarck and enjoyed time with his family at Lake Isabel. He applied his ingenuity and engineering skills by designing and building things, including two cabins and a bridge with a troll underneath. He loved watching nature outside his windows and telling stories about his life as a young man. Alfred married Bernice (Tweed) on March 14, 1949 at Pontoppidan Lutheran Church in Fargo, ND. He was always expressive about having a wonderful wife. They enjoyed their memberships in the Sons of Norway, Norwegian folk dancing, square dancing, and they were charter members of Lutheran Church of the Cross where they both sang in the choir. Alfred also sang in the Bismarck/Mandan Northern Lights Chorus. Alfred is survived by his wife Bernice, and four children, Lynn (Nancy) Steinke from Mandan, Susan Seminary (boyfriend Steve Sharkey) from Bismarck, Kristine Knutson from Silver Spring, MD, and Richard (Trisha Wright) Steinke from Dublin, OH; six grandchildren Gregory (fiancé Tracy Henkel) and Kurt (Sherrié) Steinke, Lynsey Seminary, Erin and Benjamin Knutson, and Jonathan Steinke; five great-grandchildren, Jered Steinke, Autumn Steinke, Elliana Henkel, Zachary Steinke, and Jenna Steinke; brother-in-law, Monroe (Bette) Tweed, and sisters-in-law, Muriel (George) Vigesaa and Donna Glass; and many nieces and nephews. Alfred was preceded in death by an infant daughter and was the last of seven children (Elsie, Ernest, William, Louise, Theodore, and Emma) of Rudolf and Amelia (Mehlhoff) Steinke. He is also preceded in death by sisters-in-law, Mildred (William) Thudium and Eunice Tweed; brothers-in-law, T. Gilaine (Gil) Tweed and Lawrence (Shirley) Tweed. Memorials may be given to Lutheran Church of the Cross or Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center.