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Obituary: Lansing K. Steiner, 56, Croghan
Published: August 13, 2026
By: Provided by
Sundquist Funeral Home
Lansing K.
Steiner - Croghan
 Lansing K. Steiner, 56, passed away
peacefully on August 11,
2026, at St. Joseph’s
Hospital in Syracuse
following complications from Type 1 diabetes. He was the youngest child of
Kurtis and Regina Steiner and was born on August 7, 1970.
Calling hours and a celebration of life will be held at Sundquist Funeral
Home in Lowville, NY, on Friday, August 28, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Lanse graduated from Beaver River Central
School in 1989 and
attended Herkimer
County Community
College, earning a degree in Radio and
Television Broadcasting in 1992.
Even in high school, Lanse stood out as someone
unforgettable. Nominated for Class Clown, Most Artistic, and Best Dressed,
he ultimately chose Class Clown and Most Artistic—titles
that fit him perfectly.
Lanse spent his career in property management and
hospitality, where his greatest gift was people. He had a natural ability
to make others feel welcome, comfortable, and entertained. His personality
drew people in instantly, and he formed friendships everywhere he went.
He was widely known for his extraordinary music knowledge and lifelong
passion for demolition derby. Lanse could
identify almost any song within seconds—naming the artist, title, year, and
often the lyrics—and always seemed to have the perfect track for any
moment. Music was second nature to him, and
sharing it with others was one of his favorite ways to connect. In fact,
his musical dedication went far beyond casual listening: Lanse spent countless Sunday mornings carefully writing
down every single Top 100 countdown from Casey Kasem by hand, then
photocopying them so he could hand them out to his friends on Mondays.
That same creativity and energy carried into demolition derby, where he
designed, painted, and built cars that were as much art as they were
machines. He poured hours of pride into each build,
only to take them into the arena and, just as joyfully, turn them into
scrap. Nothing made Lanse happier than mangled
metal. Over 37 years behind the wheel, competing across New York, Florida,
and Georgia,
he smashed more than 300 cars. For Lanse, derby
was more than competition—it was creativity, adrenaline, friendship, and
pure joy.
Lanse’s closest friend and partner in crime was
Lorena Farney Pallatta. Their bond spanned decades, filled with laughter,
loyalty, and countless shared memories. Together, they created a lifetime
of stories that will be retold for years to come.
Though health challenges slowed him in later years, they never dimmed his
humor, creativity, or larger-than-life spirit. He will be remembered for
his laughter, his music, his stories, and his ability to make any moment
brighter.
Lansing is
survived by his father, Kurtis Steiner of Croghan; his brother, Kenton
Steiner of Croghan; his sisters, Kimberly Widrick of Lowville and Renee
(Timothy) Widrick of Lowville; his nieces, nephews, and many cherished
friends.
He was predeceased by his mother, Regina Steiner, with whom he shared a
deeply close bond. His family takes comfort in knowing they are together
again.
Lanse was truly one of a kind—artistic, funny,
mischievous, generous, and unforgettable. He leaves behind a legacy of
music, laughter, friendship, and mangled metal.
He will be deeply missed—but if there is a demolition derby in heaven, Lanse has already found the best car in the lot.
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