LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — John Eldon Steuri, the prominent technology executive, business leader and philanthropist joined his beloved family in his eternal home on Aug. 30, 2026.
John was the retired President and CEO of the leading Arkansas technology company, Systematics, and its successor, Alltel Information Services. John and his wife Grace were recruited to Little Rock in 1988 with the mission to grow Systematics. After his retirement they decided to remain in Arkansas, a place they had come to love, and continue to actively participate in the growth and development of the city and state.
In 1966, a tragic event would change the course of their lives. The newly married couple were living in Topeka, Kan., when a devastating tornado destroyed a great swath of the city, taking lives and destroying homes and businesses. While their lives were spared, their residence and all belongings were lost. So many charities, churches and people came to help them and the city. John and Grace then made a promise to God, and a pledge to each other that, no matter their success in the future, they would always give back. And charity became a primary part of their lives.
John was born May 6, 1939, to Eldon and Nina Sceals Steuri in Great Bend, Kan. That is the great bend of the ‘arKANSAS’ River. They would eventually live out their lives in a home over that same Arkansas River. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a business degree. He was recruited to join Southwestern Bell, but soon was offered a position with IBM corporation, one of the nation’s largest and fastest growing companies.
During a 24-year career with IBM John rose through the ranks to become one of the top executives, Vice President of Operations for the Western half of the U.S. leading some 50,000 associates from Pennsylvania west to Alaska and Hawaii. With a goal of becoming a CEO John was offered several opportunities to lead companies. Systematics was a leading provider of data services and software to the banking industry. And they, as well as Stephens, Inc, a founder and major shareholder of Systematics, were large customers of IBM. Jack Stephens called his friend, the IBM president, and asked for his counsel in finding a CEO to grow the company, and to succeed the founder Walter Smiley, who was retiring. John was recommended, and after one meeting with Jack Stephens, came to Little Rock in October 1988. During his 8 years as President and CEO the company grew from $160 million in annual revenues to almost one billion. In 1990, Systematics became a subsidiary of Alltel, one of the nation’s largest telecommunications and information services companies. John retired as CEO of ALLTEL Information Services in 1996.
At retirement, and still in his 50s, John began his third career as a business consultant, board member of several companies, and as a philanthropist, with his wife Grace. He was a founder and investor in the Fund for Arkansas Future, providing funding to developing Arkansas businesses. He was an investor and board member of Safe Foods Corporation, biotech company licensed with UAMS. He served as a director of Superior Financial Corporation, prior to its acquisition by Arvest Banks. And he served as a director of Heartland Agri Partners of Des Moines, Iowa, and of National Computer Systems of Minneapolis. For 15 years he was a trustee and board member of one of the nation’s largest life insurers, Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee, where he headed the operations and technology committee.
In Arkansas and keeping with the pledge he and Grace had made earlier, they created the Steuri Family Endowment with the Arkansas Community Foundation, where funds are distributed to Arkansas charities and non-profit organizations. He also served as past chairman of the United Way, CARTI Cancer Center, the Baptist Health Foundation and Fifty for the Future. He has served on the boards of directors for the Arkansas Symphony, Wildwood Park for the Arts, Salvation Army, Arkansas Community Foundation, Harding University’s American Studies Institute, and the UALR Board of Visitors.
He and Grace were named Citizens of the Year by numerous non-profit organizations, including the March of Dimes, American Lung Association, Arkansas Community Service Awards. In 2010, they were named Philanthropists of the Year by the Association of Fund-Raising Professionals.
John also participated in graduate programs at Dartmouth University and the University of Geneva, Switzerland, the country of his Steuri heritage. He served his country in the United States Air Force/Kansas Air National Guard from 1961-67. He is a past elder of the Presbyterian Church. An avid sportsman, Steuri traveled the world on bird hunting, fishing, and golf expeditions.
John was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved son, David John Steuri. Surviving him are his wife of 62 years, Grace; a sister Suzanne Steuri Stofer and husband Chuck of Hot Springs Village; nieces Julie Stofer Klima and husband Jeff of Overland Park, Kan., and Katie Stofer of Gainesville, Fla.; brother-in-law Glenn Fager, and wife Connie of Osage City, Kan. and her daughter, Tracie Adams of Topeka, Kan. and her son, Luke Scheidt of Lincoln, Neb.; and a host of friends and associates.
A memorial service will be held at Second Presbyterian Church, 600 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock, Arkansas 72227, on Friday, Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. The service will be live streamed at Secondpreslr.org. Memorials may be made to the Steuri Family Endowment, Arkansas Community Foundation, 5 Allied Drive, Suite 51110, Little Rock, Arkansas 72202, or online donations may be made to arcf.org, or to a charity of your choice. Family burial will be at Rapp/Maple Grove Cemetery in Osage, Kan.
Promises made. Promises kept. A life of meaning and charity.
To sign the online guest book, please visit, www.rollerfuneralhomes.com/chenal.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Roller-Chenal and Roller-Drummond Funeral Homes
13801 Chenal Parkway
Little Rock, AR 72211
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Sept, 5, 2026
