ALLOUEZ — Deacon James “Jim” Steffen, 85, formerly of School Hill, died Sept. 24, at Willowpark Place, New Holstein.
Deacon Steffen was from the School Hill area, graduated from Holy Trinity Catholic School and was a 1953 graduate of Kiel High School. Directly after high school, he started working at the Society of Divine Savior Publishing Department in St. Nazianz. In 1959, the department moved to what is now the Salvatorian Center in New Holstein, where he worked for nearly 45 years. Deacon Steffen served in the U.S. Army in Italy from 1957 to 1959.
Deacon Steffen belonged to the Knights of Columbus, joining on June 1, 1956, in Manitowoc. He was a Third Degree member of the St. Joseph the Worker Council #5539, Kiel. He was also a member of the Fourth Degree Msgr Phillip Dreis Assembly of Sheboygan for more than50 years. Deacon Steffen was a member of the Kiel Municipal Band for more than 60 years. He also played with the Little Kiel German Band for a number of years.
On Sept. 13, 1986, Deacon Steffen was ordained to the diaconate for the Diocese of Green Bay by then-Bishop Adam Maida. He served as deacon for his home parish of Holy Trinity in School Hill and later was also assigned to St. Gregory Parish in St. Nazianz.
He is survived by his brothers and sisters: Josephine (Donald) Moss, Manitowoc; Carol Heinzen, Kiel; Donald Steffen, Sheboygan; Michael (Marilyn) Steffen, New Holstein; Lambert (Patricia) Steffen, Kiel; and Lawrence Steffen, School Hill.
Deacon Steffen was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Katherine Steffen; grandparents, William and Regina Binversie and John and Ida Steffen; a brother-in-law, Roman Heinzen; and sister-in-law, Rosemary Steffen.
The funeral Mass was held on Sept. 30 at Holy Trinity Church, School Hill. Fr. Dan Felton presided. Burial followed in the parish cemetery.