Patricia J Schmidt Steinberg

Patricia Schmidt Steinberg, née Kolar, affectionately known as “Pat,” a lifelong resident of Mascoutah, Illinois died on Friday, October 16, 2026, at age 86.

Pat was born on March 28, 1940, to William and Edith Kolar. She graduated from Mascoutah High School in 1958, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 1963, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with her Master of Science in Education in 1967. She worked for four decades in the Mascoutah school district serving as an elementary school teacher, counselor, test administrator, and coordinator for the district’s substance abuse program. She was an active community volunteer, serving on the Mascoutah Scholarship Fund board for over 25 years, the Red Cross Board of Directors, and as president of the local chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma.

Those who knew Pat remember her as a strong woman of Catholic faith. She attended Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic Church in Mascoutah for most of her life, where she received her First Communion and Confirmation in 1952 and graduated in 1954. As an adult, Pat served in roles at Holy Childhood including as a Eucharistic minister, a lector, choir member, and a member of the Education, Liturgy, and Finance Committees; Holy Childhood Council of Catholic Women; and the Pastoral Council. Pat was instrumental in starting the PSR program with Marilyn Byrne at Holy Childhood and was committed to Adult Education, even completing her own Faith Formation to learn more about her faith. Pat worked diligently on the Soup Supper and Speaker Series for several years and the Church’s sesquicentennial celebration.

Above all, Pat’s greatest love was her family. She raised two sons and four grandchildren and was immensely proud of all of their academic achievements. She loved to spoil her grandchildren with ice cream, cable TV, and her “paradise” basement with ping pong, pinball, and foosball. On August 12, 1994, Pat married Robert “Bob” Steinberg, growing her family to include Bob’s children and grandchildren. Pat and Bob were both avid readers, travelers, and cooks and enjoyed almost 30 years together before Bob’s death on March 10, 2023.

Pat is survived by her children, Brad (Debra Stierwalt) Schmidt and Rodney (Allison) Schmidt and stepchildren Robert “Doug” (Sandy) Steinberg and Glenn (Diane) Steinberg; grandchildren, Theresa (Andrew) Murgola and Emily Schmidt, daughters of Brad and Mary Schmidt, Abigail and Natalie Schmidt, daughters of Rodney and Allison Schmidt, and Alexander and Frederick Steinberg, sons of Glenn and Dianne Steinberg; and many other friends and cousins throughout the country.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages memorial donations to Holy Childhood Catholic School in Mascoutah at www.holychildhoodchurch.com

Visitation: From 9:00 to10:45 AM, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026, at Moll Funeral Home in Mascoutah, IL.

Funeral: There will be a funeral Mass 11 AM, Monday Oct. 26, 2026, at Holy Childhood of Jesus Church in Mascoutah followed by burial in Holy Childhood Catholic Cemetery.