Wesley William Crocker

Wesley married Lydia Cosby Slagle 16 Jul 1871, ____, Allen Co., IN. Lydia was born 12 Jan 1856, ____, ____, OH; died 14 Oct 1932. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 1940 Census: 2 Apr 1940, Richmond Twp., Tioga Co., PA

Notes:

From the UNK website: Physical Culture Class at Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney. Mrs. Grace E. Steadman is standing at the far right. This 5" x 3/1/2" black and white postcard shows women in class doing exercises. Note dumbbells in rack on wall to the left of Mrs. Steadman. Printed on the item is: "Class in Physical Culture. Department presided over by Mrs. Grace E. Steadman. School opens September 14, 1910.

http://memories.ne.gov/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/unk&CISOPTR=25&CISOBOX=1&REC=1
____________________

http://mansfield.edu/150/history-of-campus-buildings/steadman-auditorium/

Steadman Auditorium
Mansfield's Matron of Music: Grace Steadman

When the music department at Mansfield State College moved from the old Arts Building (now Elliott Hall), it was obvious that a new theater would be needed. Most musical performances had been held in Straughn Auditorium next door. However, the new Butler Music Center is quite a distance away from Straughn and it is difficult to move all of that equipment for performances. It was decided that Butler Music Center and World Cultures Building should include a full theater. The theater was named for one of Dr. Butler's colleagues, Grace Steadman.

Grace E. Crocker was born June 10, 1872 in Fort Wayne, Ind. She attended schools in Middletown and Cincinnati. Later she attended the Cincinnati Conservancy of Music, Ohio Wesleyan University, and the Kearney State Normal School (now the University of Nebraska at Kearney). She earned her bachelor's degree in music at Cornell University.

Miss Crocker became Mrs. Steadman when she married Joseph Steadman in 1891 in Clarinda, Iowa.

Mrs. Steadman served at Kearney from 1903 until 1921. While taking extra course work at Cornell, she studied under Dr. Hollis Dann. Dr. Dann was the head of music education in Pennsylvania at the time and wrote numerous music textbooks. Dr. Dann recognized Mrs. Steadman's ability and recommended her for the position of director of music at Mansfield State Teacher's College. In 1921, she left Nebraska and came to Mansfield State Normal School. Grace and Joseph settled in the Elk Run area of Sullivan Township. They had two children, Angus and Grace.

Mrs. Steadman was recognized not only for her exceptional ability to teach music, but also her charming personality, friendly disposition, and broad-mindedness. She directed a number of the musical performance groups at Mansfield, including the men's chorus and women's chorus, as well as many special and seasonal performances. A number of the campus performances were broadcasted on local radio stations, bringing regional attention to the Mansfield music department.

One particularly notable performance was held in 1935, when enrollment at Mansfield stood at 550 students. The burlesque opera "Cleopatra" was under the personal supervision of Mrs. Steadman. The opera is set on a college campus and features an all-male cast. In the opera, William is enamored with Cleopatra, who was portrayed by Professor John Myers (Myers Band Field). William competes against the football hero, Anthony, the gigolo Pompey, and the ex-athlete Caesar for Cleopatra's affections. "The trickery which he (William) employs to win her affections and the complications which ensue are highly amusing," the Wellsboro Gazette reported Jan. 31, 1935. "The musical score is ear-tickling; the libretto side-splitting."

Most importantly, though, Mrs. Steadman worked with other notable figures like Will George Butler and John Myers to upgrade the music curriculum at Mansfield. The year before Grace Steadman arrived in Pennsylvania, Mansfield was named as one of three normal schools to be the primary trainers of music supervisors. The other two were Indiana and West Chester.

In 1923, Mansfield started requiring auditions for enrollment and general education courses for graduation. By 1926, the music course had been extended to four years and Mansfield offered a Bachelors of Science in Public School Music. Mansfield was the only state school to offer that degree at the time. The following year, Mansfield officially became Mansfield State Teacher's College.

In addition to her work teaching on campus, Mrs. Steadman also took an interest in the education of local youths, particularly those attending the "rural schools." The rural schools were the one-room school houses located outside of the major towns like Mansfield and Wellsboro. The rural schools were of particular interest to educators since they typically had fewer resources than the schools in town. In 1924, just three years after Mrs. Steadman moved to Mansfield, the state legislature added music to the rural school curriculum. She was instrumental in starting the music program at the Middlebury Township rural school and she and four assistants from Mansfield Normal School traveled there once a week to oversee implementation of music education there. Other newspaper accounts noted that she did similar work at other local schools.

One of Mrs. Steadman's memberships was the Wellsboro Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and she often provided music for meetings of that group. She also provided music for various other functions, including Mansfield commencement, the county teacher's institute, PTA meetings, entertainment for World War I vets at the local CCC camps, and the Wellsboro Choral Society. The choral society was formed in September, 1927 and Mrs. Steadman made plans to attend their meetings once a month. She was also a member of the Mansfield Literary Exchange and the Mansfield Methodist Church.

Steadman also made a name for herself outside of Tioga County. Her positions and memberships included music director of the state federation of music, president of the music section of the Pennsylvania State Educational Association, and a member of Lambda Mu music fraternity.

In 1937, Mrs. Steadman became a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma honorary fraternity. That organization, which still operates today, honors notable female educators. Mrs. Steadman was the first Pennsylvania resident to be awarded membership in that organization.

After many successful years teaching at Mansfield, Mrs. Steadman became ill and retired March 1, 1939. She passed away Dec. 19, 1940 at the old Blossburg State Hospital. Her obituary noted that many of her students went on to obtain important positions in the field of music.

Following her death, Mansfield State College passed a resolution honoring her. The resolution was reprinted in the Wellsboro Agitator and reads in part, "Tireless in her efforts to promote the best interests of our college, deeply loyal in her personal friendships, unselfishly devoted to the well-being of her many students, Mrs. Steadman made at once an important place for herself within the college, as well as in the larger community." The tribute continued, "Her colleagues knew her as a personal friend, as well as an efficient teacher, organizer, and director, one on whom we quickly learned to depend for counsel, understanding, sympathy, and help." The committee to write the tribute included Dr. Arthur T. Belknap (Belknap Hall), Miss Alice Doane (Doane Center), Cora Atwater, Marjorie Brooks, Elizabeth Morales, Blanche Ross, and Dr. Elizabeth Swan.

Butler Music Center and Steadman Auditorium opened in 1969, giving the music department a home separate from the home economics department. The auditorium, which is the venue for scores of performances every year, seats 550, but only 549 seats can be occupied as there is always a seat left open for Mrs. Steadman.

1940 Census:
ED 59-32, sheet 1A
New Town Road
Steadman, R. Angus     Head  M  W  45  Md   Iowa           1935: Mansfield, Tioga, PA
---, Margaret                  Wife   F  W  44  Md   Iowa                   "
---, Mary Dick                 Dau    F  W  16  S     Wisconsin           "
---, Diane                        Dau    F  W  10  S     New York            "
---, William                      Son    M  W    8  S     Wisconsin            "
---, John                         Son    M  W    5  S      Penna                 "
---, Grace E               Mother    F  W   67  Wd   Ohio                    "
Wright, Florence   Hired Hand  F  W   26  S      Penna                  "                                      Housekeeper - Private Family

Grace married Joseph "Joe" Steadman 20 Jun 1892, Clarinda, Page Co., IA. Joseph (son of William Angus Steadman and Mary Emaline "Emily" "Emma" Trueman) was born 28 Jul 1862, Moncton, Westmorland Co., New Brunswick, Canada; died 1 Sep 1939, Mansfield, Tioga Co., PA; was buried 3 Sep 1939, Mansfield, Tioga Co., PA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Name: Grace Elizabeth Steadman

Grace married Ernest Henry Staubitz Abt 1914. Ernest (son of Charles Frederick Staubitz and Anna Marie Borke) was born 11 Jun 1893, Buffalo, Erie Co., NY; died 30 Apr 1982, Laguna Hills, Orange Co., CA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• 1910 Census: 3 May 1910, Kearney, Buffalo Co., NE
• 1930 Census: 1 Apr 1930, Sullivan Twp., Tioga Co., PA
• 1940 Census: 2 Apr 1940, Richmond Twp., Tioga Co., PA

Notes:

RALPH ANGUS STEADMAN (known as Angus) was born in Velisca, Iowa on November 9, 1894, the son of Joe Steadman and Grace Crocker Steadman. At that time, his father, Joe, was an engineer on the Union Pacific Railroad. When they left Iowa, they moved to Moncton, New Brunswick, then to Kearney, Nebraska, where Joe was an insurance salesman and Grace became Dean of Music at the Kearney Teacher's College.

While his folks lived in Kearney, Angus worked for the Diamond Match company in California, but with the start of World War I, he returned to the Midwest, and enlisted in the Calvary. He went to OCS and graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant. He taught equitation in the Calvary until transferring to the 10th Field Artillery, 3rd Division, where he was sent to Douglas, Arizona before being sent overseas.

While in Kearney, he met Margaret Dick, daughter of the 2nd President of Kearney Teacher's College. They were married in Douglas, Arizona just two months before Angus was shipped overseas, to be gone for two years.

The 10th Field Artillery, 3rd Division, known as the "Rock of the Marne", was in five major engagements in France and Germany. During that time, Angus was awarded the Silver Star for bravery in action. At the end of the hostilities, he was stationed in the Army of Occupation in Germany, before finally being sent home.

When he finally returned home, he and Margaret homesteaded in Morcroft, Wyoming, and proved up on the homestead. They returned to Madison, Wisconsin, where Margret's parents were living, so that Angus could take a degree in Rural Engineering in the Agricultural School at the University. While there, Margaret taught music in an elementary school. Following his graduation, they moved to Wauwatosa, where Angus taught Agriculture in the high school.

Following Angus' Father's stroke, Grace Steadman was asked to move from Kearney, NE to Mansfield PA to be Dean of the Music Department at the Teacher's College. When Angus and Margaret moved to Pennsylvania to be with his folks, they bought a farm (known as the Sanitarium Farm, 10 miles from Mansfield) where Joe raised chickens and Angus farmed.

With the depression, Angus returned to teaching and taught in the high school in Hershey, Pennsylvania for two years, then moved back to Madison, Wisconsin for refresher courses, before moving back to Mansfield to return to the farm.

While back at the farm, Angus took an associate degree in Civil Engineering from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. This led to his being hired by the REA to design and build the electric lines thru the counties in Pennsylvania. He hired two graduating engineers from Cornell University –  Don Chaffee and Don Gordon, to work on the project with him. At that time, the "headquarters" were in a small wooden building on Main Street where the present REA building now stands.

When the project was completed in Pennsylvania in 1939, he went to New York to interview for two different jobs, and after being told to "name his own salary", accepted one which would take him to North Carolina to install REA lines there. Just before he was to leave for North Carolina, he had a major heart attack, but insisted on going anyway. He was there for 6 months, and with the help of Don Gordon, was able to finish the project from his bed.

When he returned home, he realized he could not continue to work, and spent the remainder of his time tied to his bed. He passed away in February 1941 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

-- Mary Dick (Steadman) Rothrock, 2010

1910 Census:
Ward 3, ED 45, sheet 7B
? 26 3rd Ave
Steadman, Joseph      Head  M  W  47  M1  17          Canada  Canada  Canada  ? ?   Insurance Agent
---, Grace                     Wife  F  W  37  M1  17  2  2   IN           IN           IN
---, Angus                     Son  M  W  15  S                   IA          Canada  IN                    Student
---, Grace                      Dau  F  W  16  S                   IA          Canada   IN                    Student

1930 Census:
ED 35, sheet 5B
Steadman, Ralph A       Head   M  W  35        Md  23     IA          Canada   OH           Farmer
---, Margaret D               Wife   F  W   34        Md  22     IA          Canada   IA
---, Mary D                      Dau    F  W    6         S             WI         IA            IA
---, Dianne E                   Dau    F  W       4/12  S            NY         IA            IA
---, Joseph                  Father  M   W  68          Md  30   Canada  Canada  Canada    Laborer - Farm
---, Grace E                Mother   F  W   58          Md  20   OH         OH          OH           Teacher - Public School

1940 Census:
ED 59-32, sheet 1A
New Town Road
Steadman, R. Angus     Head  M  W  45  Md   Iowa           1935: Mansfield, Tioga, PA
---, Margaret                  Wife   F  W  44  Md   Iowa                   "
---, Mary Dick                 Dau    F  W  16  S     Wisconsin           "
---, Diane                        Dau    F  W  10  S     New York            "
---, William                      Son    M  W    8  S     Wisconsin            "
---, John                         Son    M  W    5  S      Penna                 "
---, Grace E               Mother    F  W   67  Wd   Ohio                    "
Wright, Florence   Hired Hand  F  W   26  S      Penna                  "                                      Housekeeper - Private Family

Buried:
Name: Ralph Angus Steadman
Veteran's Rank: 2ND LT FLD ARTILLERY
Branch: US Army
Last known address: C/O Director Arlington, VA 22111-0000
Death Date: 8 Feb 1941
Interment Date: 19 Feb 1941
Cemetery: Arlington National Cemetery
Buried At: Section Sou Site 4528-A

Died:
Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1963
Name: Ralph Angus Steadman
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 46 yrs, 3 months, 29 days
Married
Birth Date: 9 Nov 1894
Birth Place: Villisca Iowa
Death Date: 8 Feb 1941
Death Place: Richmond Twp., Tioga, Pennsylvania, USA
Father Name: Joseph Steadman
Father Birth Place: Moneton, New Brunswick, Canada
Mother Name: Grace Crocker
Mother Birth Place: Fort Wayne Indiana
Spouse Name: Margaret Dick
Burial : 10 Feb 1941 at Arlington Cemetery
Informant: Margaret D Steadman, Mansfield, PA.
Certificate Number: 21218

Ralph married Margaret Lillian Dick 25 Jan 1918, Douglas, Cochise Co., AZ. Margaret (daughter of George Stuart Dick and Dora Lillian Dobson) was born 9 Aug 1895, Charles City, Floyd Co., IA; died 17 Dec 1999, Madison, Dane Co., WI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Died:
California, Death Index, 1940-1997
Name:Jane Elizabeth Gingrich  [Jane Elizabeth Staubitz]
Gender:Female
Birth Date:7 Oct 1915
Birth Place:Nebraska
Death Date:5 Oct 1957
Death Place:Orange
Mother's Maiden Name:Steadman
Father's Surname:Staubitz

Jane married Richard H. Gingrich Bef 1935. Richard (son of Harry Merle Gingrich and Dahlia M. Kercher) was born 26 Aug 1913, ____, ____, PA; died 3 Jun 1972, ____, Orange Co., CA. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Letter: 2002
• Obituary: Aft 8 Oct 2012, Kenosha, Kenosha Co., WI

Notes:

Namesake:
She was named after her mother's sister

Letter:
Dear Wendy,

Good to hear from you. As I told you, I had heard about the scholarships, but did not follow it up since my kids were thru school - and did mention it to some of the Breese Terrace grandchildren. Will now try to find out more.

I don't know a great deal about your Grandfather's service = however, I did copy some articles he wrote about reunions, etc. and I think I emailed them to Bill - Bill, if you can, send them to Wendy! He wrote them after he had his heart attack and was confined to bed for 1 1/2 yrs before he died in Feb. of "41.

He was trying to earn some money for the family, but they were never accepted by the editors he sent them to. I know that when he enlisted, he joined the calvary, went to school, graduated as a 2nd Lt. and taught equitation in the calvary before transferring to the Light Field Artillery - He was in the Third Division, 10th Field Artillery - nicknamed "The Rock of the Marne" because they stood so firmly at the battle of the Marne. He transferred because he did not think the calvery would get any action!

He was awarded a Silver Star, tho I don't know what he had done to earn it - he would never tell me. That is something that I think we could find out from the Dept. of Veteran's Affairs. I used to look at the Silver Star and wonder - all it said was "for bravery above and beyond the call of duty". (His closest buddy, George P. Hayes, was one of the 48 men awarded the Medal of Honor in WWI - George stayed in the service and I understand that he ended up a General in WWII) I don't know what happened to the Medal - it was at Breese Terrace, but whoever has it is not telling since I have asked about it time and time again! I know that the Third Division was a major factor in defeating the Germans in France.

He did tell me that one time he was on his horse and for some reason, did not know why, but he got off and stepped away - and the horse took a direct shell hit and was killed! He was in the trenches when they had a false armistice on November 9 and said that a lot of the men were killed because they were told the war was over and got out of the trenches - then the true armistice happened on November 11. Following the armistice, he was in the Army of Occupation in Germany for almost a year - he was oversea's for two years.

While in Germany, he rode in a National Horse Show - took blue ribbons in jumping - also competed in a national pistol competition, however, he had ridden a motorcycle to the meet and the vibrations of the cycle made his hands shake so he did not do well there! One time he ordered steak in a restaurant and was horrified to discover that it was horse meat (couldn't eat it!)

Just a couple of the funny stories he told me about his experiences. Just before he got on the boat to come home, he bought a German Shepard dog - one fully trained for police work - Rolf! In bringing him home, there was an assigned place on the boat for the dogs to use - Rolf would not use it, but one morning, the cook brought out a bucket full of ashes and Rolf rushed to it - used it with a vengence - and the Cook stood there muttering "the poor dumb dog!" They provided ashes for Rolf for the rest of the trip home! The stories of Rolf in Wyoming are many - enough for another "express".

He never got beyond 2nd Lt. and after being passed over several times, was told that he would never make it because "Margaret was so rigid about drinking and didn't fit in with the officers and their wives" - he never told her that, but did tell me - he resigned his commission shortly after that and that was when they homesteaded in Wyoming. (Many interesting stories about Wyoming)

After Wyoming, they moved back to Madison so that Angus could go to the University. He graduated from the School of Agriculture while Margaret taught Music at one of the elementary schools. I was born while they were there. When they left Madison, they moved to Wauwautosa, WI where Angus taught Ag in the high school. From there, they moved to Mansfield, PA, following his folks, Joe and Grace Steadman. Dad farmed and Joe raised chickens on a farm about 10 miles out of Mansfield. During the depression, Angus went back to teaching and taught at Hershey, PA, leaving there to return to Madison where Bill was born - then back to Mansfield to the farm, Angus took an Associate Degree in Engineering at Cornell University, and got a job with the REA (Rural Electrification Association) located in Mansfield - he built the electric lines throughout Pennsylvania.

After the job in Pennsylvania was finished, he went to New York City to interview for another job with the REA - and took one in North Carolina. He was told to name his own salary, and in 1939, he asked for and received $5000.00 per year! We were finally on easy street! Bought a new 1939 Pontiac (beautiful green) and all was well - until he had his heart attack that summer. Prior to his heart attack, Grace was in the hospital for 6 weeks, she came home, Joe went in and was diagnosed with intestinal cancer - they sewed him back up and sent him home to die. Shortly after that, Angus had his heart attack.

However, he and Mother went to N. Carolina and with the support of the two engineers from Cornell, who had been with him in Mansfield, he was able to finish the job there. After that, he came home and spent the next year in bed before his death in Feb. 1941.

For what it is worth - here it is - some of my memories of our Dad - he was a great guy and a wonderful father. A marvelous horseman - we had many wonderful rides together. He taught us to ride the calvery way - bare back until we could take a three foot jump without the saddle, then the saddle, then the saddle with no stirrups (easy) then the saddle with stirrups but no girth (not quite as easy) i still have a scar over my right eye from trying to mount on a saddle with no girth - the off stirrup came over and hit me over the eye!!!

We had a wonderful life - why Diane got so screwed up, I will never know. We lived thru the depression but we never knew it since we always had food, clothes and a shelter over our heads - plus all our friends were in the same boat!

I didn't intend to write a book - if this is too much - delete! If it is not enough - I will try to do better! Ether way, let me know.

Love to you all!
Mary Dick

Obituary:
Mary S. Rothrock, 88, of Kenosha, passed away on Monday, October 8, 2012, at United Hospital System-Kenosha Campus, surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Madison, WI, on December 26, 1923, she was the daughter of the late Ralph and Margaret (Dick) Steadman.

She was a graduate of Cornell University in New York.

She married Cecil Rothrock in Cornell, NY, August 31, 1946. In 1956 they moved to Kenosha. They were married for 53 years; he preceded her in death on September 19, 1999.

Mary had been employed as a teacher by Tremper High School. She was a member of St. Matthews Episcopal Church, and also a member of P.E.O. from 1943 until the time of her death.

Mary is survived by her three children, Richard (Jan) Rothrock of Silver City, IA, Roger (Jenifer) Rothrock of Monona, WI, and Barbara (Peter) Kaufmann of Rindge, NH; eleven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a brother, William (Susan) Steadman of Wilmington, NC.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; her son, Robert Rothrock; a sister, Diane Johnson; and a brother, John Steadman.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 13th, at St. Matthews Episcopal Church at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Shrine Hospital for Children of Milwaukee would be greatly appreciated by the family.Proko Funeral Home & Crematory, 5111-60th Street, Kenosha, WI 53144. Phone: (262) 654-3533. Visit Marys Online Memorial Book at:www.prokofuneralhome.com

Mary married Cecil Thomas Rothrock 31 Aug 1946, Silver Lake, Wyoming Co., NY. Cecil (son of Robert Thomas Rothrock and Ethel Mae Davis) was born 9 Nov 1921, Bath, Steuben Co., NY; died 19 Sep 1999, Kenosha, Kenosha Co., WI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Namesake:
According to Margaret (Dick) Steadman, Diane Emalon got her middle name from her Mary Emalon (Trueman) Steadman, Diane's great-grandmother.

Diane married Robert Louis Johnson, Sr. Abt 1951, Madison, Dane Co., WI. Robert died Abt 1970. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Residence: Nov 2012, Wilmington, New Hanover Co., NC

Notes:

Namesake:
According to Margaret (Dick) Steadman, William Angus was abot the 4th William Angus Steadman, and mother Steadman (Grace Crocker Steadman) saw the graves of three or four William Anguses in New Brunswick, Canada, so he's from a long line.

William married Joan Kraus (daughter of Charles Kraus and Adeline Rose Adelsberger) [Group Sheet]

William married Dr. Susan Marcia Shapiro, Ph. D. (daughter of Emanuel M. "Manny" Shapiro and Sedell Nobler) [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Obituary: 14 Aug 2010, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Co., NM; Santa Fe New Mexican
• Obituary: Abt Sep 2010, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Co., NM; The Torch
• Obituary: Aft 12 Aug 2012

Notes:

Namesake:
According to Margaret (Dick) Steadman, John Stuart "Jack" was named after George Stuart Dick, her father.

Obituary:
JOHN STEADMAN

Passed away on August 10, 2010 in Santa Fe, NM.

Obituary:
http://www.aclu-nm.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Summer2010Torch-web.pdf

Jack Steadman: A Life of Commitment

This Summer New Mexico lost one of its greatest advocates for civil liberties and equality. Jack Steadman, a 60-year member of the ACLU and 29-year veteran of the ACLU-NM board of directors, passed away at his Santa Fe home on August 12th.

Jack joined the ACLU his senior year of high school in 1950, just as his Senator— Joe McCarthy— began the political witch hunt that ushered in one of the darkest periods for civil liberties in U.S. history. Profoundly impacted by the injustices he witnessed during the McCarthy and civil rights eras, Jack became a life-long defender of the Bill of Rights and the principles it embodies.

Jack moved to New Mexico with his family in 1967 to begin teaching at St. John's College in Santa Fe, where he remained for 40 years until his retirement. Soon after relocating, he became active in the ACLU-NM Northern chapter and joined its board in 1978. Three years later he was elected to the state board where he was active on many committees and held the position of board treasurer for 15 consecutive years. Since ACLU-NM's founding in 1962, only Theo Crevenna, 90, has sat on the ACLU-NM Board of Directors longer.

"Jack will always be remembered by the board for his lively engagement in debate about civil liberties questions during meetings, and his habit of pulling a Constitution out of his shirt pocket, holding it up in the air for everyone to see, reminding everyone of the letter and lyric of the Bill of Rights," recalls ACLU-NM Executive Director Peter Simonson. "Jack never went anywhere without a Constitution in his shirt pocket."

Board members who served alongside him universally praise Jack's wisdom, his kindness and his generosity. Longtime board member Trish Steindler says she especially appreciates Jack's part in inculcating the ACLU-NM board with a culture of reason and respect:

"In addition to being a thoroughly generous and likeable man, Jack set about problem-solving in the most positive way, always certain that everyone around the table was a well-meaning and important person. He was firm in his beliefs, but conciliatory and diplomatic in manner. If anyone could smooth over a difficult situation, Jack could."

"Jack's zeal to protect civil liberties knew no bounds," says current board president Gary Mitchell. "I recall a meeting of the board years ago. We did not have much in the way of money. A question arose about the funding of a lawsuit to protect the civil rights of two courageous teachers who dared to speak out against a discriminatory policy of a school. They put their jobs, their careers and the support of their families on the line. The question: could we help them, and did we have the resources? Jack, our treasurer, never had a doubt about the lack of funds. He simply said, "The money we get, and any money we have is just for this purpose."  He went on, "We are not a savings institution and if not now and for this, when and for what?" Jack spoke and that was it.  We approved the funding. However, I have always wondered how we got the money, and I bet a portion of it came from Jack, unheralded, not asked but always in his quiet way providing from his own meager earnings more than any other."

Jack stayed active outside the board room as well. Every year when the state legislative session rolled around, he and the other members of the bill review committee delved into the massive pile of proposed legislation, searching for bills that would encroach upon our constitutional freedoms. Many of the bad laws that ACLU-NM has blocked in the legislature over the years were first identified by Jack Steadman. However, his work in the legislature was not confined to bill reading. Ever the passionate advocate for LGBT rights, Jack testified multiple times before committee on behalf of domestic partnership for gay and lesbian couples.

Despite his extraordinary nature and his many accomplishments, Jack remained ever humble. ACLU-NM attempted to honor his long service and deep commitment to the Bill of Rights several times over the years, but Jack would have none of it. He always eschewed any formal recognition for his immeasurable contribution to this organization.

Jack almost certainly would have preferred we didn't honor him posthumously either…but too bad...we're doing it anyway.

ACLU-NM will formally recognize Jack Steadman's decades of service and dedication to the Constitution at the
2010 Bill of Rights Celebration on Saturday, October 9th.

"I was there when Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his 'I have a dream' speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. We still have that dream: the dream that "one day this great nation will rise up and live out its fundamental principle: 'We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal...'' Unfortunately, it takes continuous and extraordinary effort, by ordinary citizens, to accomplish that dream and to keep from slipping back..."

- Jack Steadman

Obituary:
http://www.stjohnscollege.edu/alumni/bronto/augustnewsletter/memoriam.shtml

Alumni
August Alumni Newsletter
In Memoriam

The College is sad to share news of the passing of two respected faculty members, Wendy Allanbrook in Annapolis and Jack Steadman in Santa Fe.  Former St. John's tutor Wye "Wendy" Allanbrook passed away on July 15, in Oakland, California. Retired tutor John "Jack" Steadman passed away on August 12.
...
John Steadman was born on May 30, 1934 in Blossburg, Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Ann, had three children, Sarah, Peter (SF92), and Clyde (SF90).

Mr. Steadman joined St. John's as a tutor in Annapolis in 1962 and in 1967 moved to the Santa Fe campus, where he taught until he retired in 2006. He served as assistant dean from 1970 -72. At Santa Fe, Mr. Steadman was known as an outstanding tutor in the mathematics and laboratory parts of the program, in particular. He authored "Non-Euclidean Originals and Hints", which is used in senior math as well as the Graduate Institute.

Mr. Steadman was an instructor in radio repair for the United States Army from 1954-1956. He received a bachelor's degree in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin in 1959.  He was an assistant in philosophy at Cornell University from 1959-1961 and a teaching fellow there from 1961-62. His interests at that time were the philosophy of science, logic, epistemology and metaphysics, the history of philosophy and ethics.

"In some deep sense, Jack helped all of us to see— by his example— how much our work at the college matters for our lives in the world.  I felt great sadness at his passing, but I couldn't help but smile in remembering him," says Santa Fe dean Victoria Mora. Read full statement from the dean here.

He served as a board member for several decades for the New Mexico chapter of the ACLU, as well as the occasional treasurer for the organization. His children Sarah and Peter carry on his work for the public interest today.

Jack Steadman's students and colleagues all felt the privilege of knowing him and learning from him.  He was inimitable, unforgettable: a contemporary hero as educator, citizen, family man, and friend.

Information about a memorial service for Jack at the college will be forthcoming.  Condolences may be sent to Mrs. Ann Steadman, P.O. Box 1778, Santa Fe, NM  87504.

John married Ann Kohn [Group Sheet]