Steven Sandtner

MISSOULA - Steven J. Sandtner, 101, passed away Friday, Feb. 6, 2009, his late wife’s birthday, at his residence in Missoula from natural causes.





He was born December. 22, 1907, in Chicago to Stephan and Juliana Sandtner, immigrants from Hungary.





When he was 4 years old, his mother died and he and his three sisters were sent to an orphanage. He was reunited with his father and siblings when his father married Jennie, four years later. He spent most of his youth in Chicago. He learned a work ethic as a young boy delivering milk in four-story buildings in the Chicago area, starting at 4 a.m. while he was still in grade school, for 50 cents a day. He graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1933 with a degree in chemistry. He married Kay Sturgess and a beautiful daughter Kayleen was born to this union. He and Kay later divorced. He married Sallee Braezille in 1941, the love of his life, to whom he was married for more than 60 years.





His professional life was spent as a chemist. He owned and operated Sandtner and Valentine Laboratory. He developed the formula for the 25 second-instant dessert that later became Jell-O instant pudding. He developed a formula for decontamination for radiation and cooling agents for nuclear reactors in Hanford, Wash., removal of barnacles from ferries, lotions and soaps for the military, his own cosmetic line named “Smoothie,” as well as perfumes for his wife, to name a few of his inventions. He published his last paper in 2007 along with Charles Webber titled, “Hydrogen Peroxide as a soil amendment for Greenhouse Nasturtium Production (Tropaeolum majus L).”





He belonged to the Oklahoma State University alumni association, American Cancer Society, American Chemical Society and the Shriners International.





Steve was preceded in death by his parents, Stephan and Juliana; a brother Ernst; sisters Rose Pfnister, Magdalen (Mady) Ball, Lillian Means; beloved wife Sallee; daughter Kayleen; several close nieces and nephews. He is survived by granddaughters Kari Janke and Renee Gaylor; three great-grandchildren; two great-great- grandchildren; cousins; nieces; nephews and many close friends.





Steve was a person who lived his life as an example of how life should be lived. He endured hardship, had a strong work ethic, loved his family and friends deeply, loved his country, believed “In God We Trust” and the Constitution of the United States. He was a kind and gracious gentleman and the people who knew him felt blessed by the experience. If the measure of a person’s life is the number of people who are inspired by his presence, Steve’s life was well spent.





A memorial service to honor Steve’s life will be held at the Garden City Funeral Home, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. with a reception to follow.






Read Steven Sandtner's Obituary and Guestbook.