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| A Memorial Tribute to the Founder Joseph Cleo Steichen (1921 - 2006)
Joseph Cleo Steichen was born Oct 20, 1921 in Perry, Oklahoma to John M. and Maude Steichen. He attended Sunny Slope and Perry schools, earned his Eagle Scout designation, and participated in agriculture, band, and church activities. 
Joe graduated from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor of science in agriculture degree, animal husbandry major, and was recognized for highest grades in the School of Agrif\culture in 1943. He served in the armed forces during World War II (Camp Roberts and Fort Ord) and became a member of the American Legion. He later returned to OSU to earn his master's degree in agriculture economics. Joe married Ruth Helen Mildfelt in Richmond, Kansas on December 1, 1945. They settled in Ponca City. Joe worked for the Ponca City school system as an agriculture instructor before establishing Silvertop Farm, his family farm and ranching operation southwest of Ponca City. His operation initially focused on wheat and soybean crop production and raising Shropshire sheep, Hampshire sheep, and Hereford cattle. He was named the Oklahoma Outstanding Young Farmer in 1954 by the Jaycees, designed as a Master Agronomist by OSU in 1958, and named an OSU Distinguished Alumnus by the Agricultural Economics Association in 1985. He was an avid supporter of OSU and the School of Agriculture throughout his lifetime. Joe had a deep commitment to agriculture. He worked a lifetime to help farm and ranch producers develop profitable operations, lobby for agricultural issues, keep the food supply safe, encourage adequate production to offset foreign dependency, deal with animal disease, discourage hormone injections, develop better animal confirmation, deal with legal problems, and maintain the environment for years to come. He served as a board member for the National Board Ag Policy Institute for ten years. He served as a Director of the Ranch Drive Co-op for 9 years and was President of the Agrarian Club. He was a member of the Oklahoma Crop Improvement Association for 30 years, the American Agriculture Economic Association for 47 years, Farmers Union for 50 years, and Farm Bureau for 38 years. He was involved with the Oklahoma Wheat Commission and was a member of the Agriculture Committee of the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce. He has served as a representative for Miller Township to the Kay County Fair for numerous years.
Joe loved his land. When he moved to Silvertop Farm, the pasture’s soil fertility was low and ravages of erosion had set in. He developed the grasses and legumes, did soil testing and applied fertilizer to develop the land, and was recognized with the KVOO Farm Department Soil Rebuilding Greener-Pastures Contest award. He has worked extensively with the USDA Soil Conservation Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs to maintain and improve soil conservation practices.
Joe loved his sheep. He served on the Oklahoma Sheep & Wool Commission for 34 years (since inception), including serving as its Chairman and Vice Chairman. He was a National Director and Board Member on the National Shropshire Registry. He served as Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Board Member for the Mid States Wool Growers Association. He was a member of the Oklahoma Sheep Producers for 32 years and served as a board member. One of his favorite pastimes was to attend sheep and livestock shows throughout the region including in Louisville, Phoenix, San Antonio, Houston (50 years), Tulsa, and Oklahoma City. The last show he attended was at the Kay County Fair this year in which he had participated in for 58 years. He won thousand of awards including Supreme Champion twice at the Houston Livestock Show, Champion and Reserve Champion Shropshire and Hampshire at the Arizona National Livestock Show in Phoenix, and Champion Shropshire Ram at the Western Regional Shropshire Show in Los Angeles, California.
Joe believed strongly in community involvement and support. Joe was actively involved in numerous civic and community affairs, particularly involving agriculture, Indian affairs, Ponca City schools, 4-H, Rotary, Scouting, and St. Mary’s Catholic Church during his lifetime. He was a 58 year member of the Rotary Club and enjoyed the interaction with leaders throughout Ponca City. He also served as President of the Pioneer Rotary Club. Joe was always willing to share his opinions with his fellow Rotarians and never missed an opportunity to discuss pipelines, abstracting, and easements to name a few of his favorite topics.
His civic activities included a strong commitment to educating children. He served on the Ponca City School Board for 28 years, working primarily on the transportation committee to ensure that children were able to get to school and on the school lunch program so that children would get a good, hot meal each day. He also served on the Union School, District 98 School Board for numerous years. Joe was a strong advocate of the 4-H program for many years and served in numerous leadership and mentoring roles involving sheep, crop production, land judging, soil conservation, public speaking, and numerous other project areas.
Joe was long involved with Indian affairs at the local, state, and national levels, working with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to support the surrounding Indian community. His beloved project was to ensure that low cost housing was made available to area Indians through the White Eagle Housing Authority.
Joe will be remembered as dedicated to his family, profession, education, and community affairs. He was involved with St. Mary’s Catholic Church since 1945 and was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He served as a communion minister, usher, and head usher. Joe was committed to the Boy Scout program and sponsored numerous scout projects and held various leadership roles. Joe and Ruth celebrated 61 years of marriage before his death in 2006. They have five children – Tom and Pam Steichen, Wichita, KS, Larry and Mary Steichen, Edmond, OK, Linda and Dave Petrich, Minneapolis, MN, Becky and John Bolene, Edmond, OK, and Mary Steichen, Dallas, TX - and eleven grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and one great grandchild. | |
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