John Wayne Steffen, age 86, of Hot Springs, SD, passed away peacefully on March 22, 2015, at the Rapid City Regional Hospice House in Rapid City, SD.

John was born June 15, 1928, in Halliday, ND, to John Henry and Ruth (Irons) Steffen, along with his older siblings Adlyn and Paul. The family resided on the farm south of Halliday, Dunn County. In 1929, at age of 1, his mother died unexpectedly of pneumonia. Because the family was ill-equipped to care for an infant, due to the rigors of rural farm life, John was placed in foster care with the family of the sheriff in Sioux City, IA. A favorite story John liked to share was the time he rode along with the sheriff on a call to break up a bar fight. When he attained school age, John returned to ND, joining his father and brother managing the farm and attending the local school. Adlyn was soon to depart for college and Paul was just old enough to work the farm with his family. He graduated high school, class of 1946, in Halliday. In 1951, John met and married Patricia Hope Baseflug, who was also born and raised in Dunn County. He enlisted Company K 164th Infantry Company North Dakota National Guard. He was trained as a field medic. Soon after marrying Pat his company was federalized. He proudly served in the Korean War and was stationed out of Alabama and Texas from 1951, to his honorable discharge in 1952. John received his BS and eventually his Master's through elementary and secondary education, majoring in social science and English. Both John and Pat were lifelong educators working within the BIA and various state/county agencies in mostly rural remote areas. They eventually settled in Hot Springs, in 1972, with their five children.

John was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution as well as a proud member of the American Legion. He had several hobbies and interests: amateur astronomer, avid golfer, gamed inventor, and general tinkering. John and Pat also loved to travel, with favorite trips going to the Canadian Rockies.

Survivors include his five sons, John 'Jack' (Susan) Steffen, Jr. of Phoenix, AZ; Theo Steffen of Grass Valley, CA; Michael (LaRae) Steffen of Hot Springs, Mathew (Kathy) Steffen of Hot Springs; Mark (Brenda) Steffen of Hot Springs; six grandchildren, two great grandchildren; plus a large extended family in the Dakotas, Iowa, and throughout the country.

John is preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Pat, who passed away in January 2003.

Memorial services will be held 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 25, 2015, at Chamberlain-McColley's Funeral Home in Hot Springs with Pastor Morris Nelson officiating. Interment will be 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, 2015, at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, SD.

A memorial in John's name has been established to benefit the Hot Springs High School Golf Program.