R.S. “Bob” Steenson of Londonderry, NH, whose warm embrace of family, friends and community will be sorely missed by those whose lives he touched, died on December 17th at the age of 94 after a period of declining health.
An exceptionally kind man with the astonishing capacity to remember the faces, names and personal history of just about everyone he ever met, Bob cared deeply about his family, friends, his extended Converse family and the entire Londonderry community.
Robert Stanley Steenson, Jr. was born March 15, 1928 in Plainfield, NJ, the only child of Robert Sr., a gifted mechanic with his own auto service business and Catherine (Noll) Steenson, a nurse. His fondest childhood memories involved his cousins Joan and Jim, his grandfathers Andrew and Isaac, and time spent on a farm on the shores of Lake Champlain in Ferrisburgh, VT.
A few days after his graduation from Snyder High School in Jersey City, Bob and his two best friends enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served from 1946–1948 achieving the rank of Sergeant. He served again in 1950 and ’51 after his college studies at Miami University of Ohio were abbreviated by the Korean War.
After his discharge from the USMC, Bob worked at the renowned Tobler’s Sporting Goods in Union City, NJ. He leveraged that experience into a sales position with Hodgeman Rubber Company in NYC. Upon the Converse Rubber Company’s acquisition of Hodgeman in the early 60’s, Bob started on the path that identified him personally and professionally for the rest of his life as “Uncle Bob” of Converse. After his retirement 34 years later from the position of National Sales Executive, he stayed active in his Converse family, founding the Converse Archives with his great friend and colleague Mike Blandini. Bob’s pack-rat tendencies stocked the original archive with examples of almost everything the company had produced over the last half-century.
A resident of Londonderry for 49 years, Bob devoted many hours to his community making a significant impact on the early development of town and school athletic programs through his support of the Londonderry Panthers football program and as president of the Boosters Club. Later, as a 20+ year member and past president of the Londonderry Lion’s Club and an enthusiastic supporter of Londonderry’s police officers, firefighters and school district, he maintained his commitment to the town well into his 90’s.
Bob was predeceased by his beloved wife of 50 years, Barbara Steenson. He is survived by his son Bob and his wife Linda of Canterbury, NH, daughter Susan of Londonderry, NH, son Jeff and his wife Nancy of Danville, NH, granddaughters Annie Steenson of Boston and Joy Steenson of New York City, and cousins James Steenson, Joan Lisowski, Bonnie Seufert, Betty Alyce York, Jim Bowman, Fred Wilkins, Linda Wilkins, Andy Noll and Gail Silva.
Calling hours will be held at Peabody Funeral Home, 290 Mammoth Rd, Londonderry on Friday January 27th from 5-7pm. Services will be Saturday, January 28th at 10:30am at Peabody Funeral Home. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Liberty House in Manchester, NH, www.libertyhousenh.org or to the Londonderry Lion’s Club, 256 Mammoth Rd, Londonderry, NH 03053.