Obituary: Maurice J. Steiner

A funeral Mass for Maurice J. Steiner, 70, a Carson City resident, will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church.

Mr. Steiner died Sept. 17, 2002. He was born in Evanston, Ill.

He attended the University of Illinois and the Columbia Broadcasting School.

Mr. Steiner began his broadcasting career in radio. His passion for meaningful programming led him to the distant corners of the Southwest. He hiked down the Grand Canyon with the National Guard, visited Canyon De Shelly, Acoma and the Pueblos of New Mexico to speak with the Native Americans about their traditions. During the Bay of Pigs incident, he sought out the young men of the Army Reserve to feel the pulse of the nation as we faced the possibility of war. When he moved into television work, he enjoyed interviewing such notables as Barry Goldwater and James Stewart.

When he moved to Las Vegas, he shifted his focus to broadcasting commercial sales. During his tenure at KVVU-TV, the station became the first independent in the country to beat all network affiliates during "sweeps" period. He also worked for KORK-TV and Prime Cable, now known as Cox Cable. He was inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame earlier this year.

He served in the Air Force during the Korean War as a cryptologist for the National Security Agency in Washington, D.C.

Among his survivors are his wife of 48 years Jacquelyne; daughter Riley and granddaughter Hallie Cooper and sisters Catherine Schwarz of Palatine, Ill. and Annmarie O'Malley of Northbrook, Ill. and many nephews and nieces.

Burial will be at the veterans section of Lone Mountain Cemetery at 10 a.m. Monday.

Memorial contributions may be made to a local animal shelter of choice.

FitzHenry's Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.