Please remember Charlie by sharing a story with the family via mail or https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/glastonbury-ct/charles-steffens-10381276 to create a memory book, and making donations to the South Congregational Church in So. Glastonbury, CT and the Connecticut Aeronautical Historical Association in Windsor, CT; https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/066069083.


Charlie passed away peacefully in his sleep on the afternoon of 9/29/21. He was 98 and, most importantly, a Good Man! RIP Chas.

Engineer, pilot, explorer and adventurer.
Charlie Steffens, Jr. grew up in the Bronx, Manhattan and then Scarsdale, NY. He spent summers working at Danbury airport as a mechanic and learned to fly gliders at age 16. He went to MIT where he studied mechanical engineering and flew gliders in the aeronautics club. He served in the Pacific in WWII as an engineer and was once sent on a mission in a PT boat to fix General MacArthur’s radio. 

He joined Pratt and Whitney aircraft in 1948 as the jet engine age was beginning, rising to be head of performance engineering. He worked on Airbus in Toulouse, France and other engines of the era. He bought his first seaplane - a Taylorcraft - in 1958, and he and his wife Jolly (Cunningham) embarked on a series of annual seaplane explorations to Alaska, northern Canada, and across the United States. A Cessna 180 upgrade came when the kids “added weight.” 
He shared his home with all, and formed many new friendships wherever he went. He remained an adventurer all his life exploring Europe and Russia and, at 89 traveling by seaplane to revisit the Arctic Ocean and celebrated his 90th on 
Baffin Island. 

He is survived by children Richard (Cynthia), Barbara (Mark), grandchildren Katie and Carl Steffens, Colton Rieder, and nephews Robert (Gayle), Jeffrey (Karen) and “Pete” Seaman and grandnieces and nephews Ryan, Kim and Kelly(Schurger), Nathan and Molly(Morovicz) and 4 great grandnieces. 

Chas always was the voice of reason, calm, collected and with a twist of humor. He was a man of few words, but when he spoke, everyone listened and enjoyed him. Rest easy Chas- you made the world a better place and we won't forget you. 
— Bob and Gayle Seaman
.

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Charles Steffens Jr.

17 mai 1923 – 29 septembre 2021

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17 mai 1923 – 29 septembre 2021

Glastonbury Funeral Home

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