Helen Josephine Steffen Joseph Aloysius Steffen
July 4, 1918 – March 24, 2018 February 8, 1920 – April 2, 2018

On March 24th, just a few months shy of her 100th birthday, Helen Steffen passed away. Nine days later, her husband Joe Steffen also passed away at the age of 98. Helen was born on July 4th, 1918, to her Lithuanian parents Joseph and Tressa (Pleczkaitis) Wiltrakis in West Frankfort, Illinois and was raised there and in Chicago. Joseph was born on February 8, 1920, to Joseph and Genevieve (Bambridge) Steffen in Cicero, Illinois and was raised in Chicago. Joe served in the Navy in the Pacific theatre during WWII, and Helen worked as a “Rosie the Riveter” in a Chicago factory. They married on December 24, 1947 and moved to warmer weather in Whittier, California for Joe to earn his master’s degree and to raise their 3 children.
In 1958, the family moved abroad as Joe worked as a high school teacher and coach for the Department of Defense’s overseas school system. For the next 30 years, they were stationed in Poitiers, France; Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, and Kaiserslautern, Germany; Tachikawa and Iwakuni, Japan; Ankara and Incirlik, Turkey; and Aviano, Italy. The Steffens took advantage of their time abroad and traveled to more than 70 countries, often camping with their three children in tow. Joe taught history and physical education and coached many sports, often leading his teams to Far East, Middle East, and European championships. Helen embraced the cultures of all these countries, learning flower arranging in Japan, belly dancing in Turkey, volksmarching in Germany, and cooking all the native cuisines.
After Joe’s retirement in 1985, they moved to California, living in Fontana, Hemet, and Homeland. They continued their travels, but Helen also took up the piano and ukulele while Joe played softball and served on the Honor Guard at Riverside National Cemetery. Both were avid golfers and participants in the “Oldlympics”, winning many medals in events such as swimming, running, shot put, and basketball free-throw.
Helen and Joe spent the last 4 years at the San Clemente Villas by the Sea. Here, Helen brightened the lives of those around her with her humor, positivity, and off-key singing while Joe continued to watch and talk sports and “the good ol’ days.” When asked the secret of their longevity, their answer was lots of fruits and vegetables and staying active. Both died peacefully with their daughter Allison at their sides. Helen and Joe are survived by their daughters Allison Blythe and Joellen Steffen, their son Kenneth Steffen, their grandchildren Scott Natow, Kendra Steffen and Ashley Harris, their great-granddaughter Summer Ann Natow, and 2 great-great grandsons. The kindness and humanity of the Villas assisted living staff and St. Joseph’s Mission Hospital staff can never be repaid. Funeral arrangements on May 25 are in the care of Miller-Jones Mortuary in Hemet. In lieu of flowers, please give Helen and Joe a standing ovation for their good lives well lived.