Patrick J. 'Pat' Steiger

BESSEMER, Mich. - Patrick J. "Pat" Steiger, 78, of Bessemer, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, with his devoted wife and family at his side.

Pat was born on May 11, 1946, in Ashland, Wisconsin, a son of Paul W. and Dorothy M. (Tomczak) Steiger. He attended A.D. Johnston High School in Bessemer and graduated in 1965.

From an early age, Pat had a love of fixing things and used to take his toys and other things apart just to put them back together again to learn how they worked. Pat also loved downhill skiing in his younger years and taught both his children to ski at very young ages. Pat loved deer hunting and spending time out on the shore of Lake Superior.

The greatest joy of Pat's life was helping other people. He would drop everything to help a person in need or to fix something for anyone who asked. He will be sadly missed by countless people near and far.

Pat worked with his father at the family logging business from his teen years until his death. Pat always said that his retirement and obituary would be in the paper on the same day. Pat loved his work! He would go to Montana for a couple of weeks in the summer each year just to help his beloved friends there do their harvesting and to fix their machinery if or when it broke down. Work was his job but also his hobby.

On June 12, 1971, he married Kathy Champion, and they spent 53 years together. They were best friends. Pat and Kathy raised two children, Tim (Amy) Steiger and Tina (Philip) Glatczak, all of Bessemer. The pure joy of his life was his two grandsons, Patrick and Mitchell Hipenbecker. He was so proud to have them both involved in the family business, Blaze Timmins Forestry, and taught them both to operate skid steers, front-end loaders, bulldozers and many other things.

Pat spent many years volunteering as a firefighter for the city of Bessemer and loved doing so! He participated in many Firemen's Tournaments and enjoyed marching in the Fourth of July parade in Bessemer, and setting up and shooting off the fireworks in Bessemer for many years.

Pat is survived by his wife, children and grandsons; as well as his sister-in-law, Janis (Ron) Steffen; his brother-in-law, Phil (Nancy) Kukkonen; many very special nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews; and many cherished close friends and devoted co-workers.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Tom; a sister, Carolyn; two brothers-in-law, LeRoy Jacobson and Robert Champion; his sister-in-law, Bonnie Kukkonen; and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Bill and Jean Champion.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, Nov. 29, at 11 a.m., preceded by visitation at 9:30 a.m., at St. Sebastian Catholic Church, 210 E. Iron St., in Bessemer, with the Rev. Dominic Agyapong, celebrant.

A lunch will be served at Father Swoboda Hall at the church immediately following the Mass.

Rite of Committal and interment will take place in the spring at the Hillcrest Cemetery in Bessemer.

In lieu of flowers, consider a donation in his memory to the Bessemer Volunteer Fire Department, 411 S. Sophie St., Bessemer, MI 49911, or Bessemer Township Volunteer Fire Department, Box 304, Ramsay, MI 49959.

The family would like to express their deep appreciation to the staff of Aspirus Ironwood Hospital; Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, Minnesota; and Westgate Nursing, Rehabilitation and Assisted Living Community in Ironwood, for their excellent care of Pat during his time there.

Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., in Wakefield, is assisting the family with arrangements. To send online condolences or to share a memory, please go to lakesidememorialchapel.com.