Douglas Karl Steinbring was born November 24, 1945, at the Warroad Hospital. His parents, Lucy Mae and Emil Johnson, raised their family on their farm at Willow Creek north of Roosevelt. He attended the Williams School from which he graduated in 1964. He was confirmed at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Roosevelt, MN on May 10th, 1964.
Following high school, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served in the First Cavalry in Vietnam as a communications/radio specialist during 1966-1967. He was discharged at the rank of Spec 4. (Garry Owen) Years later he attended a very meaningful 25th reunion of his division in Washington, D.C.
After his discharge from the Army, he returned to Warroad and began his 44-year career at Marvin Windows & Doors. His area of expertise was glazing, and for many years he served on the Safety Glazing Certification Council.
On September 4, 1970, he married Colleen, the daughter of Ralph and Mildred Kling, at Zion Lutheran Church in Warroad. They welcomed four children: Sara Jean, Wade Douglas, Scott Granville, and Weston Karl, all of whom still live in the Warroad area. Doug and Colleen built their home near the Johnson farm and lived there for 14 years before moving to Warroad. They remodeled Colleen’s childhood home on Lake Street and lived there until moving to an apartment at the Senior Living Center in July 2024.
Doug’s special place was his acreage and house at Willow Creek. He and his sons converted the house to a hunting cabin, and he enjoyed deer hunting each year with his sons, grandsons, granddaughter and friends. He rarely missed his early morning coffee klatch with his buddies at the Public Safety Building in Warroad.
In April 2021, Doug was diagnosed with leukemia. He valiantly fought the disease for four years. After a few days in hospice care, he died peacefully on March 11, 2025, at the Warroad Senior Living Center surrounded by his loving family. He was 79 years old. Doug received amazing care over the years from the staff at the Warroad Clinic, Warroad Senior Living Center, Northern Communities Hospice, and Altru Hospital in Grand Forks. Though the treatment was often unpleasant, he thoroughly enjoyed his caregivers, particularly those at the Roseau Infusion Center. His family is grateful for the amazing care he received.
He is survived by Colleen, his wife of nearly 55 years, and his children: Sara Lange, her husband Curt, and her children Brandon Khemmany and Talia Khemmany Ullyott; Wade and his children Daniel Lord, also Brenna, Emma and Alli Steinbring; Scott, his wife Jennifer, and their children Griffin and Mila; Weston; his five great granddaughters, Lola, Laylah, London, Elsiana and Lainey; his sisters Karen Steinbring of Minneapolis, Karleen Johnson (Gene) Marshall of Pine City, and Barb Johnson (Jerome) Fisher of Bemidji; his sisters-in-law Susan Steinbring of Rogers and Juanita Kling of Warroad, as well as many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lucy Mae and Emil; his brothers, Wayne and Dean; and his sisters, Darlene Johnson Nielson and Jeannie Steinbring.
Funeral services will be Monday, March 17, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Warroad. Visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to the service. Interment will take place at Silent City Cemetery in Roosevelt at a later date.
Last modified: 03/17/2025
