James Steffen

Born June 16, 1960 in Herkimer, New York and passed away November 22, 2015 in Rosamond, California. James grew up in Mohawk, New York where he attended Mohawk Central School, graduation in 1978. He then attended the Ohio Institute of Technology. Upon graduation, he went to work for Dresser Atlas in Texas in the oil fields. But aviation was his passion, so he moved to Daytona Beach, Florida to attend Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, earning his BS degree in Electrical Engineering. Following his graduation, he worked for Boeing Aircraft at Hurlbert AFV in Florida, as an Avionic contractor on the Lockheed AC-130 Gunships. He then worked as a sub-contractor to Lockheed Martin on the offensive/defensive warfare systems for the C-130J program. In 1999, he moved to Rockford, Illinois, starting his own company, working as a sub-contractor for Sunstrand Corp., where he worked on cockpit avionic systems for regional airliner development RJ-50/75 jetliner (Canadian). In 2002, he moved to Georgia where he worked for Lockheed Martin on the C-130J Program on the offensive/defensive warfare systems. He moved to Cambridge, England in 2005, living there eight years while working for Lockheed Martin as a Lead Systems Engineer Liaison with Marshall Aerospace supporting the Royal Air Force C130J for the operational/maintenance and upgrade programs. In 2013, he moved to Rosamond, California to work at Lockheed Martin at Edwards AFB as an Electronic Warfare Systems Engineer on the F-35 Advanced Fighter Flight Test Program.

James had many interests and hobbies including: flying, hiking and cycling. Among his life achievements were: hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Whitney and to the base camp of Mt. Everest. James had many friends around the world through his professional career and through Flying Kites where he hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro. He was loved by everyone who knew him. James loved life and touched the lives of everyone he met.

James is preceded in death by his parents: Henry William Steffen, Jr. and Nancy Ruth Steffen; grandparents: Robert and Ruth Casadonte; Henry William Steffen Sr. and Beatrice Steffen. He is survived by his siblings: Melissa Everson of Valencia, California, Mary Ellen Bellman of Garden Grove, California, William Steffen of Mohawk, New York and Susan Kenyon of Cassville, New York and aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of James B. Steffen to: Flying Kites online at: www.flyingkites.org or mailed to 51 Melcher Street, Boston, Mass., 02210 or to Carousel Ranch – Equestrian Therapy for Disabled Children, www.carouselranch.org or mailed to 34289 Rocking Horse Road, Santa Clarita, Calif., 91390-3482.