Funeral Services for Joe Steffen

This past Sunday and Monday (February 11 and 12), some team members were fortunate enough to make it to the Cleveland area to attend visitation and funeral services for Joe. It's difficult to describe the impact Joe had on friends and workmates, but the sheer numbers of mourners and a mile-long procession from the funeral home to the church was some testament.

An education fund for Joe’s young son will be set up this week by an Ohio-based dive club called Aqua Amigos so visit (www.aquaamigos.com) if you are interested in finding out more details.

You may also be interested in the local newspaper’s take on Monday’s events…

http://www.news-herald.com/site/news...= 21849&rfi=6

Joseph T. Steffen will live on through his children.

Those were the words Monday from the Rev. Sal Ruggeri of St. Gregory the Great Church as hundreds of family and friends packed the South Euclid church to pay tribute to the retired Richmond Heights police lieutenant-turned-councilman.
Steffen, 51, died Feb. 4 during a scuba diving expedition in Newfoundland.

He was an experienced diver with five years under his belt. Diving was one of the many sports that Steffen loved, Ruggeri said.
Steffen was instrumental in bringing the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program to the Richmond Heights area. The children knew him as "Officer Joe," and both kids and parents turned to him for advice, Ruggeri said. He was also a church member who would volunteer for any task needed, the minister said.

He was a public servant who never asked for anything in return, Ruggeri said.
"He was also a prankster," Ruggeri said with a smile.

Friends smiled softly as Ruggeri talked of Steffen's annual Halloween display, calling it one of the best in Richmond Heights. It made the children happy - which was what Steffen loved to do, Ruggeri said.

Moments after the reverend talked of Steffen's playful pranks, the lights and power briefly went out in the church.

"That's our Joe," one church-goer whispered.

Richmond Heights Police Chief Gene Rowe described his longtime friend as an excellent police officer who quickly moved up the ranks from patrolman to lieutenant. He was always on the go, not even wanting to sit in his office because he wanted to get back to work, the chief said.

"He was like the (Energizer) bunny - only bigger," Rowe said.

Rowe illustrated his friend's outstanding public service by reading letters sent to him about Steffen's ability to go above and beyond the call of duty, no matter what the task.
Once, he made snowballs for a 3-year-old, only to be hit with those same snowballs.
Steffen is survived by his wife, Jennifer; daughter, Lindsey; son, Joey; mother, Helen Nero; and several siblings.
Joey and Steffen's niece Dawn Culp, both members of the Singing Angels, joined other members of their group to sing "Let There Be Peace on Earth."

It was a fitting tribute to a man who lived his life to keep the peace, friends said.


©The News-Herald 2007