Relatives of Dallas Steinhauer were anticipating 100 golfers to participate in the first annual Dallas Steinhauer Memorial Golf Tournament at the Vilna Golf Course on Saturday. There ended up being a total of 122 golfers from all across Alberta that came to participate.
“That just tells you what kind of person Dallas was,” says his cousin Hana Moosewah. “He was such a friendly guy that people were drawn to him. He had a great sense of humour, and he was grateful for everything he had. He had so many friends, both young and old.”
Dallas’s mother, Denise Steinhauer, echoes those sentiments.
“Dallas was very friendly and he had a lot of respect and I think that is why he has all the friendship that he does. He greeted everybody with a handshake. Everybody respected him and I think you can tell that by the turnout we got today.”
It was just over a year ago, on August 5, when Dallas, 18, had his life claimed by a highway accident on Range Road 133. He was in the passenger seat when the vehicle turned north onto the range road from Highway 28. The car was struck by a van travelling westbound.
The on-site EMS crew pronounced Steinhauer dead at the scene.
A golf tournament is a perfect way to honour his memory considering that playing the game was one of his greatest passions.
“During the golf season he was playing all the time,” says Moosewah. “He played in Vilna a lot, he played at the St. Paul course a lot, any many other courses too.”
Steinhauer, who started playing golf when he was eight years old, was able to gain some notoriety in the sport. He participated in the North American Indigenous games twice — in Duncan B.C. in 2008, and 2014 in Regina.
His passion was golf during the spring and summer months, and it was hockey during the autumn and winter. He manned the blue line for the Saddle Lake Warriors of the North East Alberta Junior “B” Hockey League.
The great character he brought to the golf course, hockey rink, his home-life and the social venues where he hanged out with his friends also was evident when he was a student at Vilna School.
“Dallas was extremely kind,” says Rhonda Jackson, who taught Dallas for six years. “He would always say hi to me in the morning and bye to me at the end of school. He also encouraged his classmates to be nice to me and the other teachers.”
The golf tournament started shortly after noon, and it wrapped up around 6 p.m. Following tournament play, the participants enjoyed a meal and fellowship together. Prizes were then awarded to the top golfers that competed in one of the four tournament flights.
Prevailing in the championship flight was the team of Jacob Bearhead and Louie Rain, who hail from the Paul Band First Nation, which is based in Wabamun, Alta.
Bearhead said he knew Dallas “from the world of golf,” and he described Dallas as “a great and kind golfer.”
Second place in the first flight was Desi and Tilden Rain; third place was awarded to Percy Potts.
First place in the second flight went to Andrew Goertz; second was Casey Bird; third place was Carl Quinn.
Allan Houle won the third flight; Kurt Steinhauer was runner-up; Owen Morin was third.
Randy Scanie won the fourth flight; Henry Quinney finished second; Shane Whiskeyjack rounded out the top three.
Once the prizes were rewarded, Denise Steinhauer stepped up to the microphone and said Dallas’ passing “has been very hard on the family” and they “think of Dallas everyday,” prior to thanking the people that have helped the family through a difficult year. Among those that were thanked were relatives, Dallas’ friends, Vilna Golf Course managers Frank and Teresa Mason and, she said, “The man upstairs for letting us borrow Dallas for 18 years.”
She honoured these supporters by gifting them with jackets. On the back of the jackets is an image of Dallas playing golf, with the words “Dallas Steinhauer Memorial Golf Tournament 2015” stitched onto it.
The night ended off with a final toast to Dallas. The 122 golfers grabbed drinks and gathered together for a picture. One of Dallas’ favourite songs, Drink a Beer by Luke Bryan, came on the speakers as the golfers raised a toast in honour of Dallas.
This was the first of four memorial golf tournaments that will be held in Dallas’ honour. Next year, the intent is to host this tournament at the St. Paul course. The year after that, the desire is to host it in Smokey Lake. The tournament will return to Vilna for the fourth year.
