Robert Staples Steiner

Robert Staples Steiner was born in Red Wing, Minnesota in 1930. After lettering in Football and graduating from Austin High School in 1948, he pursued his studies at the University of Minnesota, until he and his childhood friends Len Beckel and Roger Peck decided it would be a good idea to enlist in the Air Force before being drafted into the Korean War. Bob completed his basic training in Waco, Texas as part of Class 52G before serving as a combat pilot with the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing APO 970. After the war, Lieutenant Steiner’s experience and expertise led him to become a flight instructor with the 3550th Flying Tiger Pilot Training Wing. Ultimately he joined Pan American Airlines as a navigator in 1956. Initially based out of New York City, where he met his TWA stewardess, “Bobby” on a blind date, they eventually chose San Francisco as his home base, which he had fallen in love with while waiting to ship out to Korea.

Bob travelled the world in his 32 years with Pan Am. He was in the first group of Boeing 747 pilots, and rounded out his career as Captain of what he called, “The best plane ever made!”. In the mid-1970s, he and his family enjoyed short-term assignments to Sydney Australia. Retiring from flying in 1990, Bob enjoyed golf; winning many tournaments and scoring six holes-in-one, traveling, and caring for his home in Sleepy Hollow, where he moved in 1972. He was a die hard Giant’s and 49ers fan always rooting for the home team. He was a long-standing SIRS member, where he enjoyed many years of activities and friendship. He was a faithful parishioner of the Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church. He found his greatest contentment spending time with his family in the Sierras, amidst the pines of Graeagle, CA, where he requested that some of his ashes be scattered.

His love and guidance are much appreciated and missed by his family; adopted daughter Karen, son-in-law Chris and nephews Ray and Jerry Ott, as well as life long friends and thoughtful neighbors. He is reunited with his parents, Wesley and Nancy Steiner; his wife of 64 years Barbara; Aunts Lu and Edna, and sister Shirley.

Bob’s ashes, at his request, are being scattered at sea by the Golden Gate Bridge on May 17th. He was cremated in his last Captain’s suit from when he retired. His daughter watched him leave the house for one final flight. Pan Am’s logo is “Gone But Not Forgotten”, so too is Robert Steiner

Memorial service on May 18th at The Sleepy Hollow Presbyterian Church at 11:00am. 100 Tarry Rd, San Anselmo Ca 94960