Final Salute

William Harold Steiner, known to friends and family as Bill, born on July 11, 1936, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 27, 2025. He passed in the comfort of his home and in the loving company of his dear wife Janis. He was 89 years old. Throughout his early childhood, Bill was raised in the foster care system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which strengthened his resolve to become an independent man and ultimately join the United States Navy Construction Battalion, commonly called the Seabees, after graduating high school with honors. He deployed in the Bahamas, acting as a surveyor for a landing strip that was eventually built by the Seabees. During his deployment, Bill swam every day after work and had a collection of underwater photographs of the native fish surrounding the island.

After his time in the Navy, Bill returned to Pittsburgh where he attended California State College and earned a degree in Physics. After his college studies, Bill started teaching in Pittsburgh, where he met his first wife Lois, who was a music teacher. After some time, Bill and Lois moved to Phoenix, Arizona where Bill started working at Mesa High School, teaching math and physics and coaching the school’s tennis and wrestling teams. Throughout his career, Bill was nominated for multiple teaching awards by former students whose lives he had a major impact on. Tragically, his first wife Lois passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer, and Bill did not remarry until many years later, after he met Janis while playing tennis with friends. Bill and Janis were married on March 13, 1993, and stayed together until his passing. Bill was always a fan of westerns, and in his later years found enjoyment in watching his favorite western shows and movies in the comfort of the house he loved so dearly. Bill counted his marriage, his house, his US Navy service, and the 30+ years he spent teaching and coaching among his proudest accomplishments in his life. A private family service will be held to honor his memory.

Posted online on November 14, 2025

Published in The Arizona Republic