Helen Martin (Ziegler) Steinkraus (1930 - 2012)

Born 18 Dec 1930 in New York City, New York, United States

Wife of William Clark Steinkraus — married 29 Dec 1960 in Westport, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States

Died 11 Apr 2012 at age 81 in Darien, Fairfield, Connecticut, United States

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Biography

Helen was born in 1930 to William Ziegler Jr. (1891-1958) and Helen Martin (Murphy) Ziegler (1900-1974). She was educated at the Chapin School, Nightingale-Bamford and Barmore schools. She graduated from Columbia University where she majored in Science. She made her debut at the Ritz Carlton in New York in 1950 and was presented at the Junior Assemblies.

Helen was an elegant person and a very accomplished and versatile sportswoman. A member of the New York Yacht Club, she raced in Long Island Sound with her brother, William Ziegler III, on their jointly-owned boats, and crewed on races to Bermuda and Hawaii. She skied for many years both at home and abroad, hunted wildfowl and upland birds from the East and South to Mexico, rode with many American foxhound packs as well as several Irish hunts, made two hunting safaris in Africa, and enjoyed snorkeling and tennis.^[1]

She took special interest in the ballet and figure skating, and with her interest in medicine, became active in Darien's Post 53 Ambulance service where she became qualified as an EMT-I. She was also for several years a director of the American Maize-Products Company of Stamford, a lifelong director of the E. Matilda Ziegler Foundation for the Blind, and managed the family estate at Great Island in Noroton until her death.^{[2] [3]} She also was active in the American Foundation for the Blind and the Sloan-Kettering Research Foundation. As a young graduate she worked at Sloane-Kettering as a research assistant on the lung cancer studies of Dr Ernst Wynder.

She married William "Bill" Steinkraus William Clark Steinkraus (1925-2017); the ceremony was held at her family home 106 South Compo Road in Westport, Connecticut. The marriage was officiated by the assistant rector of St. Bartholomew's Church in NYC; it was an assistant rector of St. Bartholomew's who had married the bridegrooms parents 40 years earlier. Bill was best known as one of the outstanding show jump riders of his time, competing in five Olympic games as captain of the United States Equestrian Team and winning gold, silver and bronze medals. After she him in 1960 she became interested in equestrian dressage and embarked on a successful competitive career that took her all the way to the Grand Prix Level. Eventually she became a sought-after senior national and international judge and an important dressage organizer. In retrospect, she played a valuable role in the development of dressage in America. ^[4]

She passed away in 2012.

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.newtownbee.com/04272012/helen-z-steinkraus/
2. ↑ https://www.darientimes.com/news/article/darien-great-island-karl-and-william-ziegler-18156418.php
3. ↑ https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/nytimes/name/helen-steinkraus-obituary?id=25581216
4. ↑ https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/women-in-history-helen-ziegler-steinkraus-helped-grow-the-shows/

• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132769103/helen-steinkraus: accessed 14 July 2023), memorial page for Helen “Sis” Ziegler Steinkraus (18 Dec 1930–11 Apr 2012), Find a Grave Memorial ID 132769103; Cremated, Location of ashes is unknown; Maintained by Quietude (contributor 47201639).