Steven Ganster, 69, of Robinson, passed away on July 23, 2026, at Haven of Ridgeview in Oblong, surrounded by family. He was, fittingly, The Puzzle Man. He knew that a picture only comes together one piece at a time, and that even the small pieces matter. Steve’s own life was like that. Set the pieces down side by side and you start to see the whole of him.
He was born on February 4, 1957, in Joliet, the son of Blanche and Robert Thompson, Sr. He was born deaf, but he never let that be the piece that defined him. He attended and graduated from the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville, IL. Eventually, he and his family moved to Crawford County, and that’s where the majority of the picture started to fill in.
His disability kept him from working in those early years. However, as the nieces and nephews began to arrive, he became their companion, mentor, and confidant, roles he took seriously. Simply put, he was their guy. They loved hanging out with Uncle Steve, and he enjoyed the adventures right beside them. He never had children of his own, but he never saw it that way. Those nieces and nephews were his kids, and he was every bit the uncle any kid could hope for.
When Lawrence Crawford Association for Exceptional Citizens gave him the chance to work, he took that opportunity and made the most of it. He spent many years on the lawn care crew and did janitorial work through them too. His mom was a supervisor there, so it stayed a family affair. Steve was proud of what he accomplished in those years, just as he was proud of his country. He was never able to serve, but he was deeply patriotic, and no one was more proud of the family members who wore the uniform.
To know Steve was to know a truly gentle heart. The smile came first, wide and easy, and a room always felt warmer for it. If he caught you having a rough day, out came a funny face or a joke, and he wouldn’t quit until you’d cracked. He was ornery in the best way, quick to give a little guff, but that was just Steve having fun with you, and the family gave as good as they got. His football allegiance made him an easy target. He was a proud Minnesota Vikings fan surrounded by a family of Bears fans. He was one of only two in the whole family, holding the line with his mother and catching grief for it right along with her.
There was a settled side to him behind all that guff. For years, Steve put models together, especially airplanes. Christmas shopping for him was never a mystery. When models got to be too much, he switched to puzzles, and that’s how he became The Puzzle Man at Ridgeview. The staff would back his finished puzzles on cardboard and glue them so he could give them away, because with Steve, giving them away was always the point.
That was the shape of him, really. He gave things away. When he won at Bingo, he’d stand right up and yell loud and proud. The prize rarely stayed his for long, though. He’d pick out items that he could pass along to family or to the staff, always thinking about who was the perfect match for each prize. Coming down the hall, he’d check in with the other residents to see how they were doing. On Mother’s Day, he was the one handing out flowers to every mother he could find. Steve kept very little for himself, and he seemed happiest that way.
That happiness was easy to spot at Ridgeview, where the staff became something like family to him. He couldn’t wait to see their pictures when they returned from vacation, always after the newest photos of the little ones. One staff member shared her ultrasound pictures with him, and he was in awe. Those little ones melted his heart.
That was Steve, piece by piece. The easy smile, the little guff, the others-first heart that kept almost nothing back. On their own, they’re just pieces, but Steve knew better than anyone that the whole picture is the point. Put his pieces together, and what comes into focus is a life well-lived and one that was truly loved.
He is survived by his siblings, Lori & Kevin Thomas, Robert Thompson, Jr., and Theresa Thompson; by his brother-in-law, Ray Murbarger; by several nieces and nephews; and by his former wife, Darlene Alspach. He was preceded in death by his parents, Blanche & Robert Thompson, Sr., and by his sisters, Luvina Rae Hedge and Anna Murbarger.
Steve is to be cremated. The Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson is assisting the family with these arrangements. A family-guided celebration of his life will be held among his friends at Haven of Ridgeview (413 Ridge Ln, Oblong, IL 62449) from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 7th. All are welcome to attend.
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