Richard Steffens Obituary

Steffens
Richard "Rick" Alan
Steffens
January 18, 1942
March 17, 2024

Rick Steffens (82) passed away on March 17, 2024, at his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Rick was born on January 18, 1942, to Chester E. and Mary Alice Steffens in Arkansas City, Kansas, where he lived until his family moved to Denver during his high school years. Rick graduated from the University of Northern Colorado (then Colorado State College) with a degree in education. He would later obtain his master's degree in counseling from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

After 30 years of teaching and counseling, Rick retired from District 11, although he continued to serve as a substitute teacher until 2020.

An aficionado of grocery stores (and coupons), Rick moonlighted as a checker at King Soopers in his younger days and, an avid golfer, worked as a starter and line marshal at the Broadmoor after retirement. In addition to monetizing those two hobbies, Rick occasionally made money from his friends at poker and from the slots in Cripple Creek and Las Vegas. Fishing, camping, and hiking he did for free.

He is survived by his beloved wife and partner, Patricia (Pat) Steffens. Rick and Pat shared a love of Colorado and the West, matinee movies, bird watching, road trips, their two dogs and three cats, and margaritas every Friday night. Rick could sometimes be talked into joining Pat for a Broadway show in Denver, however, concerts (music or comedy) were an easier sell.

Rick was the father of five children with his first wife, Sheryl Sanderson; he was predeceased by his son David Steffens and is survived by his daughters, Kari Sanderson and Monica Gover, and sons, Todd Steffens and Bryan Steffens. Rick is also survived by his stepchildren, Christopher Ross and Kimberly Ross, and by Rick and Pat's fifteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on April 20 at 3:00 pm at the First Congregational Church of Colorado Springs, where Rick and Pat are members. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes memorial donations to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region (https://www.hsppr.org/). Those attending the service are invited to wear whatever they would normally wear to hang out with Rick, who was not a suit-and-tie sort of guy.