Ann Zeiger

Time, like the river, rolls rapidly on and I can hardly believe that nearly 33 years have passed since I first met Ann in 1974 when she rode the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE with us for the shakedown cruise on the morning of the Great Steamboat Race. There never was a more devoted "buffette" than Ann and Capt. Harry Louden always said that she'd spent enough money on DELTA QUEEN cruises to put a new set of boilers on the boat! Cappy also surmised that Ann, who was a prolific photographer, must have over 7500 pictures of the DQ's sternwheel!

Ann was a good friend and gracious hostess who frequently opened her home, which she dubbed "The Zeigerhof", to friends who gratefully enjoyed the hospitality of her comfortable bed and breakfast when visiting in Cincinnati. Ann was a world traveler, extremely erudite on many subjects (especially science and music), possessed a great sense of humor and loved her "river family". She will be greatly missed on the boats and at river related meetings and events which she enjoyed so much. Ann was a longtime member of the Howard Steamboat Museum and her loyal support of the museum and its programs has been much appreciated.

I am thankful for her friendship of over three decades and will always have many fond and funny memories of adventures with Ann. She was a real trouper and dealt gallantly with her health issues of the past few years. I rejoice that, for her, the strife is o'er, the battle done. A long and two shorts of the whistle in memory of a devout steamboating lady who has now embarked upon her final journey on a bright and shining river.

Sad, but not expected news. We, who knew Ann knew what a fighter and independent spirit she was. I have to share a fun story with you that includes Ann. My first Steamboat Race trip when the DELTA QUEEN departs from Memphis to make her way to Cincinnati for the HomeComing, but takes time to spend an afternoon in Louisville to race the BELLE of LOUISVILLE included Ann, and the friends mentioned. The day before we were to depart for Memphis to board the boat, Ann, Barbara, Gayle and Bill drove down to my house to spend the night. The next morning bright and early - but very rainy my brother and his wife came to my house to pick us up to head to Memphis. We had no sooner turned out of the subdivision when Ann said, "lets tell DELTA QUEEN stories". And for the next seven hours they did!!!!! My brother and his wife, not being steamboaters, I worried that they would not be too pleased with all the chatter and talk. But they enjoyed it so much they volunteered to take us down again the next year. By then Ann was not able to go. But I will always remember that first trip to Memphis and the seven hours of nothing but DELTA QUEEN!!!! This spring will mark my fourth race trip! TEN WEEKS AND THREE DAYS TO GO! Ann we'll miss you!

The River Rats

Ann was certainly a steamboat legend in her own way, and an avid supporter of all the boats. She will be missed, but remembered. Ann was the leader of a group of steamboat gals usually known as the River Rats. When you saw Ann, you knew that she was in good company. Bless you Ann on your voyage to that Far Shore.

Ann was one of the first real River Fans I ever met. I had gotten the "steamboat bug" as a child and rode the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE alot. On the Oktoberfest Cruise in October of 1978 I was fortunate enough to have Capt. Charles J. Larkin invite me up to the Pilothouse and while I was there Capt. C.W. Stoll brought up 3 people who changed my river life forever...Ann Zeiger, Cori Reade, and Frank Prudent. As they talked amongst themselves I was amazed at their knowledge of the boats and later introduced myself to them on deck. To this day I will never forget the day, for I realized there were more people just like me who loved the rivers and the steamboats on them. I learned of the S&D that day, the Waterways Journal, and became a charter member of the infamous Sternline Telegraph!

As we talked I mentioned this boat and that boat I had heard about from my BELLE friends. They all knew the boats and the people on them. When I asked about the MISSISSIPPI QUEEN (The MQ was still the story of the day in Louisville as she was built across the river at Jeffersonville (1972-1976) and had just completed her first successful season in 1978), it was Ann who gave me the full story on the boat. She as a Chemist knew about many things my 12 year old mind couldn't comprehend and how to tell me in a way I understood. She explained the plumbing problems, mechanical problems, and many other things I had heard about.

I will never forget the time Ann and I tuned the calliope on the DELTA QUEEN in 1983! I climbed up to the whistles on a ladder and Ann was my keyholder. There were a few mistakes. Ann couldn't hear me from up at the whistles because we had a upstream breeze...I got a couple of rather loud and warm surprizes because of this. However, we got the job done and the calliope sounded marvelous coming into Cincinnati on the Homecoming Cruise in 1983.

In 1999 Ann Zeiger and Barb Hamiester were playing the calliope on the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE at Tall Stacks. On the Tuesday night before the event they were practicing on the calliope on the BELLE and I was tuning up the ANNA MARIE calliope on the opposite shore. Ann would launch into a song, and I would finish it from the other side of the river. Later on the towboat J.S. LEWIS we discussed this and Ann said "I knew that was you! No one else would know the entire score to "Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend" or play it on a calliope". Ann loved my propensity towards irreverence on the calliope and from time to time would challenge me to expand my repertoire with songs which fit into this context.

Ann always loved my rendition of "Phantom Of The Opera" on the calliope and when I play it I will always think of her.

I could spend all day at this keyboard telling Ann stories, for there are many on many boats on many rivers. How blessed we all are who knew her and called her a friend. We have lost a true dedicated steamboater who did her part and interested MANY people in the boats.

One long and two shorts for a great friend and a knowledgeable mentor as Ann passes out of our harbour onto her new stream.

Thanks for reporting this Judy...she fought the good fight for sure...

My family 1st met her a good 25-26 years ago, and we will miss her!!!!

I will truly miss Ann. I've known her since September, 1975 when the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE came up to Cincinnati to race and defeat the DELTA QUEEN. Since that time Ann and myself, along with others, have covered many a mile on the gently trembling deck of a steamboat, steamboat chased from motorboat or car, talked by phone till the wee hours of the morning, and treked into Payne Hollow and chatted with Harlan Hubbard, amongst other adventures. Without Ann the river and its blessed followers will be a bit different, but, without a doubt, much better for having known Ann.

Dear steamboating colleagues:
My deepest appreciation to Judy for posting the news on the passing of our dear friend Ann Zeiger. I just returned from our trip and was working on the ice/snow outside when Gayle phoned with the news. I'd first met Ann in 1970at a Cincinnati Sky Club dinner program along with Pat Sullivan. Several years later our paths met on the DELTA QUEEN and Ann quickly became a dedicated member of Sons & Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen. All the rest is history.

As stated, Ann was one of the most brilliant women I've ever known. Her knowledge of the sciences through her career in biochemistry astounded her own team of doctors and nurses. They learned early on not to double talk around her when it came to medications and treatments. Ann was accomplished im music, history, art and literature. Ann and Barb Hameister were my traveling buddies to and from S&D meetings in Marietta and many MOR meetings over the years. On long car trips we'd listen to classical music and Ann could tell you what key it was scored along with bio information on the composer.

The real testimony to friendship was found in the dedication Barb Hameister and Gayle Hindman provided Ann over the recent months. "I was sick and ye visited me." We all are family on this web giving support, friendship and love. Let's cling to that which binds us.

An excerpt from No. 91 'Qui habitat.'
'You shall not be afraid of any terror by night,
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
Of the plague that stalks in the darkness,
nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.'

With deepest sympathy to sister Jean [Jinx] and niece Carla and family,
R. Dale Flick

Thanks to all of you who have posted "Ann stories". I met Ann my first year on the DQ as a deckhand, and was pleasantly surprised to see her the next year. Ann was the first repeat passenger I recognized or knew. Over the years Ann has been a friend to me and to Sharon. She helped us organize a DQ "reunion"cruise in 1997, and of course was on board.

Ann was always one to enjoy a good conversation, and she could and gladly would converse with ANYONE, despite her superior mind and knowledge, and make them feel like a peer. Capt. Rip Ware's wife Cleo, after spending an evening with Ann on the DQ, told Capt. Ware, "She can talk Beethoven in one breath, and bow thruster in the next", which pretty well sums it up.

Our friend is no longer suffering, and for that we should be glad. She made our lives better because we knew her. A long and two shorts to her.

My first impression of Ann Zeiger was wrong, as most first impressions are. After hearing me give a talk about designing the Natchez, we had a long chat about hull stability and I was astonished at how much she knew about the mathematics involved. I am quite sure she hadn't thought about the subject before, yet she was able to grasp concepts like moments of inertia and metacenters in a wink. She was a remarkable woman and we are all diminished by her passing.

Annie Blum here. I did not know Ann as well as the rest of you but I am saddened at her loss to us. She was always very nice to me, always used my name, and we had little visits along the way. In fact, we had a good long visit at S&D this last meeting. I am grateful to have known her.

May she rest in peace.

Ann, a blast of the Admiral landing whistle for you: a long, two shorts and a long.

pat traynor

It was a privilege to have known Ann, for the few short years that I did. Her last years were filled with a a lot of trauma and poor health, but she never complained. I'm sure it broke her heart not to be able to ride the DELTA QUEEN any more because of the kidney dialysis. We had hoped that she would be able to go on a short Cincy to Cincy trip this fall, but that wasn't to be. She sure did manage to get to every important river event until the very end, with the help of her dear friends, Barbara, Gayle and Bill - am sure there were other, but I don't remember who. She'll lways be remembered along the many rivers she traveled.

Memorials for Ann

At this point final arrangements for a memorial service are not yet determined, awaiting the arrival of Ann's sister from California. The service will be at Christ Church Cathedral in Cincinnati, whenever it is scheduled. In talking with several of Ann's steamboating buffettes and buffs, we decided that we are going to donate to the Howard Steamboat Museum in Ann's memory, as she was a member and longtime supporter of the Howard, and we know that the stewardship of such funds by the Howard staff and board is above reproach. We'd welcome anyone else so inclined to honor Ann likewise.
The mailing address for the Howard is:

Howard Steamboat Museum
Yvonne Knight, Administrator
P.O. Box 606
Jeffersonville, IN 47131-0606

"The Cincinnati Enquirer" reported today that a memorial service will be held in the future, and memorials can be made to the charity of choice in lieu of flowers.

Here´s a link to the Enquirer

http://dunes.cincinnati.com/classifieds/obits/obitDisplay.aspx?d=2/15/2007&st=1&id=717802

Here´s also a link to the Memorial Page

http://dunes.cincinnati.com/announce/default.aspx?id=8111

I´m happy we had a chance to meet Ann a couple of times. We ran into Ann and Barb on the J.S. Lewis during Tall Stacks the day the photo was made by Dan Back.

Carmen

Ann, the gate to the Delta Queens pilothouse was always open to you, and will remain forvever so, only you know what I mean... Captain Mike Williams

I'm new on this board, but I did know Ann. I'm a friend of Barb Hameister for those who may not know me.

One of my first memories of Ann was a few years ago when I went with Barb to see John Hartford in Dayton, Ohio. We were waiting on the street and looking for Ann's car. Someone spotted it and yelled "Here comes Ann" and "There goes Ann" as she went right by us without seeing us standing there waving!

Here's to an intelligent and great lady!