Michael Raymond Stienke

Michael “Mike” Raymond Stienke, 76, of Bryant, Arkansas passed away on October 26, 2024 in Benton, Arkansas. 

Mike was born in Houston, Texas to Raymond Stienke and Bessie Stienke née Olsovsky on September 20, 1948. After graduating high school in 1966, he studied for four years at the University of Houston, majoring in accounting. Mike served in the Army from 1970 to 1973, including a tour of duty in Vietnam as an air traffic controller in 1971. While both were stationed at Fort Rucker (now Fort Novosel) in Alabama, he met Kathleen “Kathy” Hickson, and they were married on March 30, 1973. 

Upon being honorably discharged from the Army, Mike and Kathy moved to Houston, where Mike went into the dry cleaning and uniform rental business with his father Raymond. For over 40 years, in Texas, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania, he was a dedicated and well-respected dry cleaning and industrial laundry expert, including being the one-time owner of the Comet Cleaners franchise in Central Arkansas from 2006 to 2013. More recently, Mike worked as both an assistant manager and store manager at several Dollar General locations in Central Arkansas, earning recognition from corporate management on multiple occasions for increasing the revenue and inventory volume of the stores under his management. Like his father Raymond before him, Mike had a passion for working, and he continued to work until he was unable to for health reasons, beginning in May of 2024.

For over 50 years, from the time he bought his first locomotive with his Army discharge pay at a hobby store in Houston, Mike’s life-long love was for HO-scale model railroading. Since 1993, he both designed and built an extensive railroad layout, all within his beloved garage at his and Kathy’s home in Bryant, Arkansas. Using Northern Pacific trains, his favorite railroad line, Mike’s layout was based upon the Puget Sound area of Washington state, where his wife Kathy was born in the town of Shelton in 1952. He was especially fond of re-creating scenes of the local logging industry, including logging camps where Kathy’s father Al Hickson had worked during his many years with the Simpson Logging Company. It was also through a shared passion for model railroading that Mike met his closest friends Jack Rundel, Daryl Conner (owner of Rail & Sprue Hobbies in Jacksonville, Arkansas), Dale Dudley, and Matt Dillow. Together with Jack and others, he would attend train shows and conventions, both in-state and out-of-state, including the Central Arkansas Train and Hobby Show at the Conway Expo & Event Center. Most recently, in August of 2024, Mike was awarded the Russell Tedder Memorial Award for a detailed scene of an engine shed and railway turntable, which he built mostly one-handed while receiving radiation therapy for his left arm. 

Mike’s other life-long love was for baseball, especially watching his favorite team the Houston Astros, which he had been following since they were the Houston Colt .45s in 1962. This passion for baseball and the Astros was shared with his daughter Michelle, with whom he loyally watched and discussed the regular MLB season, and with whom he had been to games at the Astros’ old Astrodome, their newer Minute Maid Park, and the St. Louis Cardinal’s Busch Stadium. As for his own sports activities, Mike was an avid player of pool, especially Nine-ball, a passion that was passed on to his child Siobhán and his grandson Jordan, both of whom he had taught from a young age, always remarking on how much their playing skills far surpassed his own. Finally, out of all the musical artists that Mike listened to, by far his all-time favorites were Bruce Springsteen and Neil Diamond, whose music he would listen to for hours at deafening volumes, as several of his family members can attest to. 

Mike is survived by his wife, Kathy Stienke; his children: Michelle Stienke and Siobhán Kirchstein; his grandchildren: Jordan Sievers, Catherine Everett, and Anastasia Sievers; his great-granddaughter: Allana Everett; his sisters: Carleen Stewart and Barbara Griffin; his nephews and nieces; as well as countless friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents Raymond and Bessie Stienke, as well as his brother Charles Stienke.

At this time, the family has asked for patience and understanding as they navigate their way through this tremendous loss. Any services decided upon, will be announced at a later date.

Mike was a truly special man who left an indelible mark on all who had the honor and privilege of knowing him. His legacy will continue on in the hearts and memories of those he held most dear.