Charles K. Steiner

Just heard through the Grinnell alumni's that Charlie had died. My heart goes out to Mary and to all his family and friends. He and Mary were so well suited for each other, it was obvious that they had a deep and binding affection for each other. I hope the good memories will provide some level of comfort in the days ahead.

I was shocked when I read this obituary! I met Charlie at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1983, when I was accepted as a Docent in the DVS (Disabled Visitors Services) program. I worked with him until 1986, when he left for Princeton. He was an excellent educator, and we all learned so much from him. We got to know Mary, as well, and several years ago, I met Frances, when she got an internship. Please accept my deepest condolences.

My sincere condolences to the entire Steiner family in the loss of your beloved husband, father, brother, father-in-law and grandfather.

I met Charlie back in the early '70's at Camp Tapawingo. We worked together in adminstration for two summers. First, when he was the assistant director and I was the program director. When he became the director he asked me to be his assistant director. Our work relationship became the foundation for our friendship that followed.

Our friendship spanned 50 years after camp, from his apartment in Chelsea, NYC, to his return to Chevy Chase. Charlie was a renaissance man-from his art knowledge, creative works, world travels and even his cooking! Charlie's deep love of family, his wholehearted support of Mary's career, and his pride in his daughters and extended family made him deeply and genuinely authentic.

I will miss Charlie and hope to relive the treasured memories I have of him.

From John Scott, in NYC and rural SE Pennsylvania. Charles and Norman Muller managed several of my sculpture conservation projects for Princeton U -- for a while Charley and I often commuted together by car between P'ton and NYC. In those days we and our spouses were all rather optimistic young professionals; our futures looked great! Charrley and Mary left for Kansas, where on one of my trips "back home," he enjoyed showing me around the Wichita Art Museum. We always kept in loose touch and after their move to DC, we expected to coffee or lunch the next time I came through.

Quietly celebrating Charley's life

Mitch and I had dinner in DC with Mary and Charlie four days before he died. We are shocked and saddened to hear about his sudden death. We were birthday buddies and would try to call one another first on April 27th. I met Charlie and Mary in 1977 working in the Education Department at The Met. I have always loved Charlie's frank and humorous perspectives of life. He will be sorely missed by his wonderful wife, Mary, and his devoted daughters. This is an early birthday wish, my dear friend!

I knew Charles only briefly, when I served as Interim Chair of Fine Arts at Friends University in Wichita, KS, 2008-11. But I will always remember going to dinner with Charles and Mary right after Mary had been honored at Friends U Commencement as Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member of the year. My wife, Janie, and I were invited to join them, and what a wonderful time we had celebrating! I am grateful for this "brush" with a truly remarkable man...

My name is su dean canada...I worked at camp tapawingo with Charley for many years. I have a wonderful article with Charley on the front page of this local newspaper.I would love to mail this to mary and her family.,but don't have an address to mail it to. Any help or ideas are welcome.My email is [email protected] free to contact me..I'm sorry,but I don't know how to put the article on computer.Thank you,su canada

So sorry for your loss. I had the pleasure of working for Charlie at Camp Tapawingo in the early 70's. I have so many fond memories and lasting friendships from that experience.

I met Charlie my first day at Cornell in September, 1969. We became immediate friends, roomed together at college and then in NYC when we started our first real jobs. We served as best man at each other´s weddings, shared oysters and beers in Grand Central Station, and managed to stay friends even when he and Mary moved to Wichita and then Fort Smith. I served as guinea pig for Charlie´s early attempts at pie crust and he introduced me to shadow puppets and abstract expressionism. I will really miss his wry observations, his wicked sense of humor, and our friendship of more than fifty years.

Such a sad surprise to learn of Charles death. Having recently lost a beloved spouse I know the challenges ahead and send wishes for peace and patience as you and the girls move thru this new journey without him. I am grateful for having known Charles through working at the Wichita Art Museum. I enjoyed keeping in touch thru facebook these last few years.

I met Charles in the Education Department at the Met, when he was a Rockefeller Fellow and I was running an intern program--1976-77--and we shared notes on the challenges on producing programming for the visually impaired. We have been friends ever since.I admire him as an artist, a museum professional, a devoted husband and father, and as a loyal friend. My favorite memory now will be the lunch we all were able to share at the Baltimore Museum of Art, just a week before this surprising and very premature event. Sending all love to Mary, Frances and Hope. Words are not enough. So I just look at the painting of his ca. 1985, and is part of his "Gridlock" series, that we have in our hallway, and smile. With that work, he is with us constantly.....