Born November 14, 1938, in Martins Ferry, OH, he was the only child of Roy Elton Steadman and Eleanor Pickering Steadman. He grew up in St. Clairsville, OH, graduating from St. Clairsville High School in 1957, and from Ohio University in 1962 with a degree in Music Education, and was a featured soloist during his college years.
He began his career as a vocal music teacher in Chillicothe, Dayton, and South High School. He also directed the chancel choirs at Christ Lutheran Church in Bexley and Hillcrest Baptist Church.
He served as director for The Singing Buckeyes Barbershop Chorus, and sang with a nationally recognized quartet.
During the 1970's, he worked for the Ohio Secretary of State implementing the programming for the first computer used for state elections.
He worked as a multi-state sales representative for Schulmerich Handbell Company in Memphis, TN, before moving to Dallas and operating his own computer programming business for twenty years.
Upon his first retirement, he drove a refrigerated semi for Prime Inc. nationwide before moving to Columbus where he drove a regional route for Kroger. He then drove clients for National Church Residences until his second retirement at age eighty.
He had a love of classical and sacred music, especially handbells.
Since 2012, he served as a Handbell Director at Northwest United Methodist Church in Columbus, directing performances during services as well as at a regional festival in New Albany.
He enjoyed traveling and was able to join with dear friends in the St. Clairsville Class of '57 Travel Group, including trips to St. Thomas, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, and throughout the US.
He leaves his loving partner and lifelong best friend, Gretchen, her daughters and their families, Amy Ellsworth Frecker (Robert), Molly Ellsworth Holland (Robert).
Maternal cousins; Marty Hart Sinkhorn (Mark) of Hilton Head, Laura Akers Fields (Fred) of Versailles, KY, Aaron Akers (Heather) of KY, Jim Hart (Kellie) of San Francisco, John Hart (Virginia) of South Charleston, and Judy Rinkes Kohler of Carrollton, OH.
Contributions can be made in his memory to the NWUMC Bell Choir or a charity of your choice.
Services will be held at Northwest United Methodist Church, 5200 Riverside Dr., Columbus, OH 43220 on April 20, 2024 at 11:30 am.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.5