Contributing to the future--the greatest “Steinyism” of all

Gary Steinhardt’s father once told him that he would never leave their farm because living through the Depression made him appreciate that a farm could always feed his family no matter what happened. Influenced by his father’s lessons and his own experiences in 4-H and FFA, Steinhardt developed a passion for agriculture that led to his life’s work.

Steinhardt originally intended to study food science in college. But a summer job with the Michigan Agricultural Economic Station mapping soils changed his scholarly and life direction. He completed his master’s degree in soil science at Michigan State University and his doctorate at Purdue.

Having enrolled in the Reserve Officer Training Corps while he was in college, Steinhardt’s years in activity duty, from 1968 to 1970, included a tour in Vietnam. While there, Steinhardt met Thinh Thi Nguyen, who was working in the United States Embassy. She so impressed Steinhardt that he gave her his address when he left Vietnam with the suggestion and hope that she would write to him. Three years later, after many letters and working through the bureaucracy, Thinh arrived in West Lafayette. The couple married and had two daughters, Angela and Sarah. 

Steinhardt served a second period of active duty when the 480th Military Intelligence Detachment he commanded was mobilized in 1990. He retired as a colonel in 1996 with 30 years of service and decorations that included the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Defense Meritorious Service Medals. He was also inducted into the Indiana Military Veterans Hall of Fame in 2019.

Steinhardt started the Purdue Soil Survey Laboratory as a graduate student. He also researched how soil compaction influenced crop production and studied wastewater management because of the importance of its role in reusing water for crops.

In 1976, he accepted a position in Purdue’s Department of Agronomy as an assistant professor with an assignment to be the Extension specialist in soils and land use.

The sisters describe their parents as being deeply committed to their daughters’ education, something they definitely passed on.

Angela Steinhardt earned her bachelor of science degree in pharmacy at Purdue and then completed medical school at the Indiana University School of Medicine, a pathology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, pathology residencies at UCLA and Harvard Medical School, and a surgical pathology fellowship at Harvard.  She is a physician pathologist at CND Life Sciences in Brookline, Massachusetts, where she lives with her husband and four children.

Sarah Steinhardt Reiger earned her doctor of pharmacy degree at Purdue, law degree from Indiana University and master’s degree in pharmacy administration from the University of Pittsburgh. She spent a decade as a faculty member at the University of South Florida Taneja College of Pharmacy. She currently lives in Martinsville, Indiana, with her husband, Curtis, and teaches pharmacy law at Manchester University and practices pharmacy at BioPlus Specialty Pharmacy.

The sisters and their mother took tremendous pride in their father’s academic reputation and his commitment to 4-H/FFA and Purdue’s soils judging team. Angela describes what she observed: “He just loved teaching students, and the students loved having him for a professor.” Sarah agrees. “He was one of those professors where you feel sad leaving at the end of the year.” She adds that she now understands that feeling. “I miss asking him questions and hearing his answers.”

Steinhardt included his daughters in his adventures as a professor, coach and judge. “4-H was a foundational program for our dad’s career path. He enjoyed giving back to the program and supporting others by serving as a judge every year at the Indiana State Fair,” Sarah says. “This gave us years of priceless memories spending time with him at the fair, seeing the exhibits and the animals and stopping by the dairy area for ice cream,”

Soils judging also held a special place for their father. “Soils judging combined many of my dad’s loves: teaching, soils, mentoring students, road trips, and the opportunity to win competitions — or as he would say, ‘to put another coonskin on the wall’ as proof of a victory, “ says Sarah.

Bart Lofton (BS ’95, MS ’97) definitely considers himself one of those fortunate students. “My three years on Purdue’s soils judging team gave me the opportunity to know Dr. Steinhardt not only as a professor and coach but also as a friend. He was always approachable and took time to get to know each of us personally. He made us feel that we mattered. No matter how many years passed, I knew his door was open and we could pick up right where we had left off. Even today, I randomly recall his words of wisdom, and it always brings a smile.”

Steinhardt was well known by his students and daughters for what they all called “Steinyisms.” “I use them all the time,” Angela says. “I’ve also taught them to my children. We love how Steinyisms communicate a message.”

One of their favorite phrases is “that’s why they don’t let the bull fight twice, because they get too smart.”  Angela also shares that she frequently uses her father’s description of being “busier than a one arm paper hanger” when juggling responsibilities as a physician and mother to four children.

Gary and Thinh Steinhardt both passed away during 2025. Amidst their grief, their daughters knew the best way to honor them both was to support students at Purdue. “My father was a first-generation college student, and he would have liked to provide more opportunities for students who might not have access to the resources needed to pursue higher education,” says Angela.

Their first investment was in the Gary C. Steinhardt Memorial Scholarship, to be given to an individual student, with preference being given to a member of the soils judging team or a first-generation undergraduate student enrolled in the Department of Agronomy.

“My dad had received a scholarship when he was in college that covered almost all of his expenses, and it was such a blessing as he was getting started in life,” Sarah says.

The sisters’ second commitment is to the Gary C. Steinhardt Student Experiences Endowment Fund. “My dad’s colleague and friend Sherry Fulk-Bringman brought up the opportunity to fund an endowment that would provide ongoing support to the soils team and their travel and activity needs, as well as that of educational experiences beyond the traditional classroom in agronomy. We immediately knew this was something our dad 100% would have wanted us to do, ” says Sarah.

As the sisters worked closely with Kelly Delp, executive director of Agricultural Development, to launch these endowments, Sarah admits they felt the bittersweetness of their efforts. But they also are confident they chose the right honorarium. “While the future students sadly will not have the joyful experience of learning from our dad, we know he would want to keep the team goin’ along like an oompah band — another of his Steinyisms. We are grateful for this opportunity to keep his memory and contributions to Purdue and the community alive through these ongoing gifts to the students and the program.”