Steve was born in Austin, Texas, on June 3, 1943, a son of the late Elinor (Wili) and Earl Ascher.

Steve graduated from Salina High School in 1961 and from Kansas Wesleyan University in 1965 with a BA in Chemistry. While at KWU, he met a cute brunette in German class and eventually got up the nerve to ask her for a date. On July 30, 1966, he married Ruth Marie Schenck in Holly, Colorado.

Steve was a Professional Engineer (Chemical Engineer). He was proud of his lifelong commitment to the environment, including working with industrial wastewater treatment clients, managing an environmental analytical laboratory, and supporting frozen food manufacturing health, safety and environmental work. After retirement, he relished a part-time job in the meat department at Jim’s Market, Canby, Minnesota.

As a devoted husband and father, family was always his top priority. He was an amazing role model, not just for his own children, but for many of their friends as well. In his retirement, his passion was conducting “Camp Papu” with his four granddaughters, telling stories, reading, singing, exploring, and bicycling during their summer visits in Minnesota. He single handedly taught all of them how to ride bicycles and got them all out of training wheels. Steve wanted them to know him while he was still a “cool guy rather than just an old fart”. He was crushed when he realized that Alzheimer’s disease would rob him of the opportunity to see his grandchildren graduate from high school and college.

Steve was an avid reader, especially civil war history. He was a bicycling enthusiast and went on 10-20 mile rides every night after work. He was a community servant and passionate volunteer. He served two four year terms on the Salina Board of Education. He was active in the Presbyterian Church serving as a church officer and Clerk of Session at First Presbyterian, Salina. He was a church officer and lay minister at United Presbyterian, Canby, writing the worship service and filling the pulpit over seventy five times. Steve was active in the early development of the Southwest Minnesota CAT (chemical assessment) team. He was easily coerced into volunteering for many of his wife’s United Way projects and Canby Area Arts Council activities.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth; two daughters, Jennifer Ascher (Larry Handlin) of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, Sarah Geering (Brian) of Kechi, Kansas; and brothers, David Ascher (Kayla) of Salina, Kansas, Phillip Ascher of Smolan, Kansas. He is also survived by four granddaughters, Elinor Ascher-Handlin, Beatrice Ascher-Handlin, Abigail Geering, Emily Geering, and nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his sister-in-law, Brenda Ascher.

His body has been donated to the University of Kansas Medical School.

Memorial services will be announced.

Donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church, Salina, United Presbyterian Church of Canby, Minnesota, or Sunflower Adult Day Services, sent in care of Carlson-Geisendorf Funeral Home, 500 S. Ohio, Salina, Kansas 67401.

To send an online condolence, visit www.carlsonfh.net or on Facebook.