Dr. Mark Wayne Steinhoff

He was born on August 20, 1945 in Brooklyn, New York, son of the late John Walter Steinhoff and Blanche Stokey Steinhoff. Mark was a retired history professor with Liberty University and served his country in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. His brother, John W. Steinhoff, Jr. of Massapequa, New York, survives him.

Before joining the History faculty at Liberty Baptist College in 1977, Dr. Steinhoff, affectionately called Steiny by his students, earned degrees in History from Columbia, Johns Hopkins, and New York University. He taught a wide range of courses including Medieval history, Western Civilization, Greek and Roman history, and Asian history. In addition to his deep devotion to Christ, students remember him for making history come alive, often by teaching in character dressed as St. Benedict, Confucius, or Machiavelli. He served as faculty advisor of Liberty’s chapter of Phi Alpha Theta for over twenty years, hosting students in his home and coordinating a variety of activities and events. He was quick to see and to cultivate potential in his students, and sought to give them opportunities to develop their gifts.

Mark retired from teaching in 2011, but he remained a committed scholar, and was diligently working on a memoir of his intellectual and faith journey. He also continued to seek out and support students pursuing the study of history, keen to encourage them “not to neglect the gift that is within you.”

Students, colleagues, neighbors, and even strangers benefited from Mark’s kindness. And his kindness extended to the beloved canine companions who kept him company over the years, most notably Fritzy, Wolfie, and Paladina (Pal). To Mark, dogs were more than just dogs. They were friends through whom we mere humans experience a portion of God’s unconditional love. Indeed, remarking once about Pal’s adoption from the animal shelter, he mused, “Who rescued whom?”

Mark kept up a prolific correspondence with family members, friends, and acquaintances, always encouraging them by gently but boldly sharing truth from scripture and literature. His gentle nature flowed from his abiding faith in Christ.

A number of years ago at the passing of a friend, Mark found and shared comfort in the words of fellow medievalist, C.S. Lewis. He recounted how Lewis believed Christians do not say goodbye and quoted his words upon the death of a friend, “Farewell for now, wish we had longer, but someday we’ll have all the time we need.” We, too, wish we had longer and we look forward to the day when we will have all the time we need.

A visitation will be held from 4:00 pm – 4:50 pm on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at Whitten Monelison Chapel. A Celebration of Life will follow at 5:00 pm with Pastor Spencer Drake officiating. Burial will take place later in New York.

In lieu of flowers, memorials contributions may be made to the Mark W. Steinhoff Memorial Scholarship Fund, Liberty University, 1971 University Blvd, Lynchburg, VA 24502.