Raymond J. Steinbach

Raymond J. Steinbach, 88, Alexandria, MN, died Thursday, Jan. 15, in Windmill Ponds. Visitation will be held 5:00-7:00 PM on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at Anderson Funeral Home. Visitation will continue 10:00-11:00 AM on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at St. Mary's Catholic Church with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM. Entombment will be at St. Mary's Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Ray’s name to Wounded Warrior Project (support.woundedwarriorproject.org) and/or American Lung Association (action.lung.org).

Ray was called home last Thursday in his home as the bright sun shone down on him. Stubborn as ever, he waited until his children left his bedside and had safely returned to their homes; peacefully passing 40 years to the day of his mother’s death. He patiently waited 13 long and lonely years to reunite with his sweet Bride. Ray loved his two children and six grandchildren fiercely and was so very proud of each. Ray was a devout Catholic, an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Knights of Columbus, and a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church since 1977. He loved participating in church gatherings, activities, fairs, and especially serving as an usher at Mass and serving as meal server and delivery driver for the many Holiday meals provided through the Church. Ray had an enormous love for kids (probably because he remained a kid himself to the very end), and sports which landed him in the driver’s seat of a District 206 School Bus for many years. He took many High School substitute teaching positions and coaching positions during the school year regardless of how far he had to drive, in Parkers Prairie, Osakis, and Hopkins. In the summer you could always find him at a ball field behind home plate as an umpire or near the dugout coaching baseball or softball. He loved nature and animals, particularly the four seasons Minnesota offered and the wildlife prevalent in each season. He loved to take photos of the changing fall foliage, the birds at his feeders, and the deer visiting him at his front window. He was a proud US Army Veteran, diehard Denver Broncos and Notre Dame football fanatic, farmer at heart, over collector of ball caps. Most of all he was a huge social creature, embracing all members of his Alexandria community very tightly. Ray made friends wherever he went, whether or not you wanted him to, he was an invasive conversationalist with the best intentions. Godspeed Ray.

Ray is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 53 years, Marianne Regina (Zierlein) Steinbach. By his parents Alex and Rose (Kronewitter) Steinbach; a brother, John P. Steinbach, his sisters Mary Wollert, Barbara Phillips, Helen Mildenberger Setser, Julia Wiggins McRady; his nephews Leonard Steinbach, Larry Mildenberger, Gary Wollert, Greg Peters, David Mildenberger, Bobby Amerin, Scott Steinbach, and Mike Steinbach; and his niece Sharon (Mildenberger) Frazier.

Ray is survived by his two children, Thomas (Michele) Steinbach of Apex, NC and Monika (Scott) Leonard of Madison, WI; his six grandchildren Zachary Steinbach, Sydney Leonard, Hannah Steinbach, Grace Leonard, Holden Steinbach, and Claire Steinbach. His two sisters Rose Ann Peters of Murfreesboro, TN, and Dorothy Amerin of Thornton, CO. Both Ray and Marianne have very large families and so he is also survived by many, many more nieces and nephews located around the globe.