Frank Donald Steffen

Frank Donald Steffen died peacefully January 17, 2024, in Baton Rouge, La., two days after his 92nd birthday. The only child of Archie W. Steffen and Ruth Funk Steffen, Frank was born January 15, 1932, in Waco, Neb.

During high school in Stromsburg, Neb., he earned his pilot's license and worked as a crop duster as well as farming with his father. Frank was a mechanic at heart and repaired cars and tractors on the farm from an early age. He loved driving, which he learned to do at 14 in his first car, a 1930 Ford Model A that he drove to school. He liked to say he could tear the engine apart on Saturday morning, fix what was broken and have it running again in time for Saturday night. Next to cars and driving, he also loved flying, and in addition to his private pilot’s license, earned his instrument rating and was licensed commercially.

In 1951 Frank joined the U.S. Air Force and completed Basic Training along with Aircraft Mechanic School at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. Following a stint as an instructor in Wichita Falls, he spent time in Amarillo, Texas, and Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois completing additional training before earning his teaching certificate at the Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala. In 1955 Frank was stationed at Lincoln Air Force Base, Neb., only 60 miles from Stromsburg, when he met Margaret Anne Williams at a church dinner. Soon after, he received orders for overseas duty, first at Spangdahlem AFB in Germany and then Sculthorpe, England.

In July 1957 he took a 30-day leave to return to Nebraska. He and Margaret were married July 7, 1957, a union that lasted 62 years. Their only child, Rhonda Sue was born in 1965 while the family was stationed at Webb AFB in Big Spring, Texas.

Frank was sent to Phan Rang, Vietnam, in 1967, where he spent two years. The family moved back to Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Ill., following his tour in Vietnam. After serving 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, Frank retired with the rank of technical sergeant on January 1, 1972. Four days later, he began his 22-year career with Mobil Oil, retiring again in 1994. Frank and Marge relocated to Sun City West, Ariz., and continued to explore the world, traveling to England, France, Switzerland, Italy, Luxembourg, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, all of the states west of the Mississippi River, Florida, and the East Coast. He considered planning the trips almost more fun than taking them.

Frank was a man of few words and usually an observer in a crowd, but when he shared a story, and he had a lifetime of them to choose from, it usually included some kind of harmless prank and laughter. Despite his military career, he was a gentle and peaceful man. Frank’s military retirement coincided with the construction of the Mobil refinery in Joliet, Ill., and his ability to teach along with his mechanical expertise helped keep the turbine engines running there. He was not afraid to tackle whatever came his way, which helped him have two long and successful careers. A disciplined, lifelong learner and thinker, Frank enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, plays and musicals, country music, and most of all, his family, of whom he was intensely proud and loved fiercely.

Frank is survived by his loving daughter; son-in-law, Parker Tucker; and his beloved grandchildren, Caitlin (Taylor), Callie (Ryan), and Trent as well as his special great-granddaughter, Alaya Anne Usry. He was preceded in death by his wife, mother and father. Frank is loved and will be missed by all who knew him.

The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider donating to The Capital Area Animal Alliance https://www.caabr.org/, The Shepherd's Market, 230 Renee Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70810, or your favorite charity.

Memorial service information will be announced at a later date.