Sarah Margaret Steinbach

Sally, the daughter of the late Dr. Hayes Ayres and Margaret Switzer Richardson, was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia on February 7, 1931. A descendant of Colonial Virginians. Sally and her family soon moved to Kansas City when her father accepted an appointment as a professor of economics at the newly chartered University of Kansas City. She married Robert W. Steinbach in 1956 and they had one son, Robert Bradley, both survive her.

Sally was a 1948 graduate of Paseo High School where she was involved in a wide array of activities including cheerleader, class officer and yearbook staff. After graduation she attended Beloit College, Beloit, Wisconsin where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Political Science in 1952. She was a member of Delta Gamma Sorority, a cheerleader and active in summer theater. As a senior, she attended American University, Washington D.C. where she was selected by Mademoiselle Magazine’s ’51 College Edition to participate in its 8th College Forum in New York City, “The United States and Asia”. Sally went on to earn a Masters degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and in 1974 she received a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri, Kansas City. She joined the faculty of Junior College of Kansas City, Missouri, later Penn Valley Community College, where she taught political science for over 20 years.

She was involved in a vast number of activities, both professional and civic, throughout her adult life including, Panel of American Women; United Nations Speakers Bureau; United World Federalists; Historic Kansas City Speakers Bureau Docent; Docents Emeriti and Speakers Bureau and Society of Fellows, Nelson-Atkins Museum; founder of “Mothers for Fluoridation”: co-chair of the Young Citizens Association, President of the Board Della C. Lamb Neighborhood House; International Visitors Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce. She was a board member of the ACLU and chair of the bail bond committee. Sally was a board member with the Armour Hills Homes Association and editor of their newsletter as well as a member of Kansas City Young Matrons and its community children’s theater; Women’s City Club and the Carriage Club. She was a member of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Of all her various activities the ones that she enjoyed the most were as an actor, public speaker, teacher, panelist and Nelson Museum docent. She was also extremely proud of learning to fly and soloing as a pilot.

Her publications included articles in American City, Tennessee Town and Country, Governmental News and the Kansas City Star. Sally also wrote for several professional publications including Insurance News Magazine and Bank News Magazine and edited the weekly newsletter of Bank News. She was also a co-author of an unpublished murder mystery, “The Priest Wore Earrings”.

Sally was also very politically active and served as 8th Ward Representative on the Jackson County Democratic Committee; Secretary of the Southside Democratic Council; member, Task Force on Intergovernmental Relations; Missouri Association of Social Welfare; Southwest Community Council; Southside Democratic Council; Jackson County Charter Commission; Secretary of the Jackson County election campaigns of Senator Ed Long and Senator Stuart Symington; member of the transition committee of Mayor Emanuel Cleaver.

Private burial in Forest Hill Cemetery, Kansas City, Missouri.

Arrangements under the direction of Mt Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, Kansas City, MO.