George Frederick Steinwart II passed away on July 21, 2026, at the age of 74. Though his time with us ended far too soon, he lived with strong conviction, unwavering loyalty, and an infectious enthusiasm for life.
George was born on November 8, 1951, in Columbus, Ohio. As a baby, his family moved to Prairie Village, Kansas, where they lived until he was four years old before relocating to South Bend, Indiana. They eventually returned to Prairie Village when George was in junior high. He graduated from Shawnee Mission South High School, where he was a proud member of the Raiders football team before attending Southern Methodist University, earning a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Even George’s strong-willed spirit could not overcome the undetected blood clot that took his life so unexpectedly. But if you were fortunate enough to know George, you knew what mattered most to him: his family, his friends, his golden retrievers, and sports—especially his teams: SMU, KU, Purdue, Ohio State, the Chiefs, and the Royals.
His love of sports, whether organized or just a friendly pickup game, remained a constant throughout his life. He proudly coached many of his daughter Sara’s teams and continued playing golf until the very end. His favorite course was Indian Hills Country Club, where he was a member for nearly 50 years, though he was always happy to explore a new course anywhere his travels took him.
George loved to travel. Some of his favorite adventures included Oktoberfest in Munich, hiking in Patagonia, and, most recently, a trip to Portugal and Spain, where Sara’s fiancé, Patrick, was able to join in the fun. Still, one could argue that his favorite trips were the road trips to Cincinnati with the golden retrievers happily along for the ride. Those visits always included trips to the dog park, stops at his favorite brew pub, MadTree, and elaborate breakfasts prepared by “The Breakfast King” himself—Chef Boyar-GEE.
A self-proclaimed “thermostatistician,” George genuinely loved his work and poured his heart and soul into growing ACS for more than 45 years. In his spare time, he enjoyed reading, doing his daily “puzzles,” and talking to anyone who would—or wouldn’t—listen about sports, science, or politics.
George is preceded in death by his parents Carolyn Susan Steinwart & J. Wells Steinwart. He is survived by his loving wife, Mollie; his daughter, Sara; his future son-in-law, Patrick; and his brothers, Ed (Mendy) and Pete (Dana). In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in George’s honor to Harvesters – The Community Food Network (Kansas City).
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, August 7, from 2:00–4:00 p.m. at Indian Hills Country Club (6847 Tomahawk Rd., Mission Hills, KS 66208). Please wear vibrant colors, your favorite sports team apparel, or anything else that reminds you of George’s joyful spirit. At 2:30 p.m., we will welcome anyone who would like to share memories or a few words about George.
I spent many hours with George tracking down golf balls and trudging IHCC Golf Course. His energy, enthusiasm, and incredible memory always made for good conversation and companionship. He will be dearly missed. Rest in peace, George.
Hacker Nation is in mourning for our beloved George (Sheldon). 26 annual golf trips is a good number! Rest in peace old friend.
Incredibly sad, but what a wonderful tribute
I will pour out a mad tree beer in his honor. Stay strong
I worked at IHCC for 7 years as a caddie, and then 2 more as the head bartender in the Quivera room later in life. I’ve been on the bag for so many rounds with other golfers at Indian while George was playing, and later I always had a Modelo Negra ready for him when he got done playing golf. It’s truly a pleasure to have worked alongside him and his brother Pete for so many years. I hope he’s playing golf in heaven with a beer and talking to someone about politics lol
Dear Mollie and Sara!
our most heartfelt condolences on George’s passing-what a lovely obituary ,George will be deeply missed
we fondly remember our times on Delmar
very big hug from your German neighbors
Mollie, I’m so sorry to hear of the passing of George. Three things came to mind thinking back over the decades. First thing that came to mind is the one and only time I played cupid was when I introduced you to George, you took it from there. Congratulations on all those years! Second was our senior year at SMS. It was mother’s night at a South home basketball game. George came up with the idea of making a banner. George’s mom gave us an old sheet and we wrote THE SMS FOOTBALL LETTERMEN WELCOME ALL YOU MOTHERS. We proudly took it to the highest point of the bleachers and displayed it proudly. Wow, Wally Bob Johnson, the principal, nearly flew up the steps to have us take it down. We laughed and laughed. Finally, remember coming over after you had the house fire to see how you both were doing. You and George were so claim and collective. In closing, I wish you the best and hope you have the strength to navigate these tough times.
Jeff Johnson
George, we didn’t know each other long, but so glad and thankful our Purdue Engineering Cincy daughters got us connected. Always enjoyed our chats immensely. I will miss you friend. Still can’t believe you helped roof Bobby Bell’s house! Every time the Chiefs, Boilers, Royals win a big one…I’ll smile and know you’re smiling down. – Machinery Pete
Dear Sara, I always loved seeing your dad when he visited at Purdue. His love for life was contagious, whether it was about going to a Purdue game or learning about his love for animals. What I remember most was how much he loved you and how proud he always was of you. Whether talking about you majoring in Chemical Engineering, studying abroad in Australia, working for P&G, talking about when you played softball – you could sense that he adored you and how close the two of you were. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to know your dad. Thinking of you and your mom as you grieve his passing.