It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the passing of our esteemed colleague and friend, Richard "Rick" Steckel. Rick joined the Ohio State faculty in 1974 and served the university for several decades, retiring as a Distinguished University Professor.  Rick leaves behind an indelible mark on the fields of economic history and in particular made pioneering contributions to anthropometric and physiological history.

To those who worked alongside him, Rick was more than just a giant in his field; he was a man of immense character and warmth. He grew up on a working farm in New York, a background that perhaps informed his lifelong love for the outdoors and horses. He was a natural athlete, playing baseball through his college years, and he carried that same competitive yet collaborative spirit into his academic life.

Rick earned his PhD from the University of Chicago in 1977, after earning his undergraduate degree from Oberlin College and a master's degree at the University of Oklahoma. Over a prolific career spanning more than 50 years, he rose from instructor to the highest academic ranks, earning the Distinguished University Lecturer award in 1998 and being named a Distinguished University Professor in 2009. His leadership was recognized across the social sciences; he served as President of both the Economic History Association and the Social Science History Association, was elected a Fellow of the AAAS, and served on the board of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).

Rick’s research was profoundly interdisciplinary, famously blending economics, anthropology, and history to understand the human condition. He was a visionary in using biological indicators—specifically human stature and health markers in skeletal remains—to measure the quality of life in the distant past. This work was incredibly influential in economic history, economics, and anthropology.  Rick pioneered the creation of large and interdisciplinary research teams to understand broad changes in human living standards over millennia.  This work included novel data sources—everything from carceral records to measures from archeological sites to dental enamel to plantation records.  During his career he wrote or edited six books and over 100 referred journal articles, including the celebrated books The Backbone of History (Cambridge University Press, 2002), Health and Welfare During Industrialization (University of Chicago Press, 2008), The Economics of Climate Change (University of Chicago Press, 2011) and The Backbone of Europe (Cambridge University Press, 2019).

Rick’s intellectual passion was matched by his zest for the world. Along with his wife, Barbara, he traveled to every U.S. state and dozens of countries. Whether he was strolling through an art museum or listening to a jazz set, Rick approached life with a signature blend of perseverance, humor, and curiosity.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, his children, Sarah and Anna, and his grandson, Nikola. The department and the broader academic community are diminished by his passing, but his record of research, creativity, and generosity remain a permanent pillar of the social sciences.