Edwin William Steffen

Edwin “Ed” William Steffen, P.E., 80, of Amelia Island, Fla., passed away peacefully Thursday, July 18, 2019 at Community Hospice & Palliative Care’s Warner Center for Caring in Fernandina Beach, Fla. surrounded by his loving family. Ed fought a courageous battle against cancer. The family wishes to thank the doctors and staff at Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center for their loving care Ed received for almost four years.

Ed was born December 31, 1938 to the late Edna Simpkins Steffen and Edgar P. Steffen in Alton, Ill. and a graduate of Alton Hills High School, Class of 1957. His dream was to get a degree in mechanical engineering from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. After being accepted there, his hometown buddies convinced him to attend Missouri School of Mines and Metalurgy in Ralla, Mo. with them.

Ed graduated from Missouri School of Mines in January 1962 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a master’s degree from the University of Southern California in 1966.

Immediately after graduating from MSMM, Ed launched his career at McDonnell Douglas missiles and space company in Santa Monica, Calif. This was a period in time when a “space race” was in full flight during the Cold War. Ed became involved in many projects as a team leader in designing, engineering, and innovating state of the art commercial aircraft, lunar landings, space craft, and space vehicles. Ed’s professional contributions to the aircraft missiles, missiles and space industry during this period cannot be understated. Yes, he was a “rocket scientist.”

Ed embraced the Southern California lifestyle. Ed met the love, of his life, Susanne Casillas, whose family was a pioneer family of Santa Monica. They were married Jun 27, 1965.

In 1967, Ed left the aerospace industry and he and Susanne moved to El Dorado Hills, Calif. where he was a chief engineer for PMI – Mechanical. During this time, Ed studied hard and earned his professional engineer license.

In 1972, the family moved to Tualatin, Ore. Ed worked for Hoffman Construction Company in Portland, Ore. Until summer 1984. While working for Hoffman, one of his many engineering projects was the Alaskan Pipeline.

In the summer of 1984, Ed accepted a job with Milton J. Wood Company in Jacksonville, where he would head up their vice president of mechanical engineering. The family has resided on Amelia Island since 1954. Ed loved living on the golf courses playing golf, fishing, boating, and, for the last 15 years, taking cruises to the Europe and the Caribbean, and loved all-inclusive resorts in Mexico. One of his joys was being a caddy for his daughter, Christina, when she played in national golf events. Ed and son Scott loved going on hunting trips in the Pacific Northwest and Georgia. Great joy was watching his grandsons play baseball, football, and basketball.

Ed and Sue Ann celebrated 54 years of marriage in June.

Survivors include his wife, Susanne Casillas Steffen; a son, Scott (Amy); and grandsons, Brett and Brady; and daughter, Christina.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 25, 2019 at the Fernandina Beach Golf Club, located at 2800 Bill Milton Road.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ed’s name can be made to Community Hospice & Palliative Care’s Warner Center for Caring in Fernandina Beach, Fla. at 1348 S. 18th St. in Fernandina Beach.