Richard Paul Steinhauser

RICHARD P. STEINHAUSER, a retired educator, passed away peacefully in Waco, Texas on Thursday, January 11, 2024. He was 81. He was a long-time resident of Georgetown and Flatonia, Texas. Many students and teachers feared Richard, but those who really knew him knew that he was a giant teddy bear and was always there for them. He was considered a truly kind, caring and patient person, except for when he attempted to repair anything or when he played golf. While watching him attempt either of these things was entertaining, it might have been surpassed by witnessing his fear of technology, especially the epic battles he had with his cell phone.

Richard was born in his family home west of Flatonia on March 5, 1942, to Max and Anita (Tauch) Steinhauser. His parents moved their family to a property they purchased east of Flatonia overlooking Praha where they remodeled a barn that they turned into their lifelong family home. His sister, Judy, and her husband Kirk still live on the property.

Richard attended Flatonia ISD and graduated in 1960. He played every sport the school offered, but football was his favorite. He loved to tell stories about being a lineman at a time when helmets didn’t have facemasks. He was proud that his team only lost one game his junior season and went undefeated his senior year, outscoring their opponents 503 to 34. To his dismay, teams from small schools didn’t get a chance to compete for a state championship in those days. Richard loved and respected his coach so much that he remained in contact with him up until his death. Richard attempted to continue his football career in college, but after two years realized he had taken his dream as far as was possible.

Richard obtained a bachelor’s degree in education from Southwest Texas State College, now Texas State University. While at SWT, Richard met his future wife, Ann Yater, who was from Stanton, Texas. After graduating in 1964, Richard began his coaching career in Lockhart and would follow his head coach to Georgetown. Early in his career working for Georgetown ISD, Richard earned his master’s degree from SWT. He remained in Georgetown ISD as a teacher, coach, principal, and the director of transportation and custodial services. To stay close to the game he loved, Richard officiated football games for many years. He would eventually accept an offer from his former head coach in Georgetown and became a principal for Manor ISD.

Anyone who knew Richard knew that his son Randall, twin daughters Amy and Alicia, and eventually his grandchildren, were what he cherished most in his life. Richard did his best to attend as many milestone events and activities as he physically could. He would make the long drives to west Texas and to the panhandle to see his children – sometimes making the round trip overnight, to not miss a day of work.

When Richard’s children moved from the panhandle to La Grange, he jumped at the chance to accept a job as a principal for Flatonia ISD. He relished the time he was able to spend with his children on a regular basis, to be able to see all of their activities, as well as being near his parents and other family members living in Flatonia. Richard always envisioned returning to Georgetown after his children graduated from high school but stayed in Flatonia to take care of his mother and the cattle on his family’s various properties after his father’s death.

Richard completed his career as an educator in 1995 as the high school principal of Flatonia ISD and a couple stints as interim superintendent. After retiring, he continued helping the community of Flatonia. He spent time driving school buses for field trips, monitoring elections as a poll volunteer, helping the Young Farmers Association, volunteering at Czhilispiel, and serving on grand jury duty. That’s not to say he wouldn’t gladly use a family obligation as an excuse to get out of volunteering. He would much rather be teaching his grandkids how to drive while checking on cattle, watching his grandson Aidan play baseball, babysitting, or occasionally tagging along on a vacation with his children.

Richard also loved the friendships he developed over the years. Even though his golf game was legendary for all the wrong reasons, he loved hitting the greens with friends in Georgetown and Flatonia. Some of his other favorite times were making sausage every January in Junction with a group of friends dubbed “The Junction Boys”, cookouts on his ranch that the Stangs held each year, having lunch with his former high school classmates, and Steinhauser cousin reunions. Richard also loved the various groups he would have morning coffee with throughout the years. We would be remiss if we didn’t mention some of the happiest years of Richard’s life and those were the years he shared with his black lab, Lex. Lex was his docile and loyal companion for 14 years.

Richard was preceded in death by his loving parents, Max, Sr. and Anita, and older brother Max, Jr. Richard leaves behind his younger sister Judy Pate (Kirk) of Flatonia; his sister-in-law Michal Steinhauser of Austin; his son Randall Steinhauser (Aimee Coody) of Dallas, granddaughter Allison; his daughter Amy McCourt (Austin) of Waco, granddaughter Kristen and grandson Aidan; and his daughter Alicia Leffel (Rob) of Keller, grandson Conner and granddaughter Caitlin. He is also survived by numerous cousins, a niece, two nephews and many other family members.

A celebration of Richard’s life will be held at 2pm, Saturday, February 3, 2024, in Flatonia, Texas. The ceremony will take place at the Flatonia Chamber of Commerce Civic Center, located at 208 East North Main Street.

The family would like to thank Bluebonnet Hospice and Arbor House Assisted Living of Waco for their kind care. We are grateful for the support and dedication they gave him.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests any donations be made to the Richard P. Steinhauser Memorial Endowed Scholarship at Texas State University. Richard and his family would like to continue his legacy by making sure the students in the communities he loved have the chance to continue their education beyond high school at the university that prepared him for life. To make a donation online or for information to donate via check, please use the following link:  CatFunder | Richard P. Steinhauser Memorial Endowed Scholarship (txstate.edu)

Fond memories and words of comfort can be shared with the family at www.smithfuneraltx.com