LOUIE J. STEFFEN

Louie J. Steffen, 75 of Grand Forks formerly of Devils Lake, ND passed away on Sunday morning, June 17, 2012 at his home in the loving care of his family. Mass of Christian Burial for Louie will be held on Friday, June 22, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake. Fr. Dale Kinzler will celebrate the Mass and burial will be in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Thursday from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation on Friday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral Mass. Reading the Scriptures will be Renae Haman and Gift Bearers will be April Stier and Jentry Cooper. Music will be provided by Peter A. Hager and Audrey Myklebust. Louie Joseph Steffen, son of Andrew and Frances (Kuntz) Steffen was born on May 23, 1937 at Mercy Hospital in Devils Lake and he would make the Devils Lake area his home his entire life. Louie grew up on the family farm in rural Devils Lake and attended Devils Lake Public School. He spent his younger years helping on the family farm. Louie was at one time married to Vivian Lauckner. Louie began working for Montieth Meats and also had a long career with Sioux Manufacturing Corp in Fort Totten. Louie and Leodina “Lee” were united in marriage on January 15, 1974 at Fargo, ND. They established their home in Devils Lake and began a 37 ½ year career with IMM (Investors, Managers and Marketing) managing several apartment complexes in Devils Lake. That wasn’t enough work for Louie because he also worked as a jailer at the Lake Region Law Enforcement Center for many years. Due to health problems, Louie retired in March of 2011 and moved to Grand Forks in August of 2011 to be closer to family as his health continued to decline. Louie loved coffee with his “Coffee Buddies” many times a day and all the good natured ribbing and fun that was a part of those daily meetings. In his younger years he enjoyed camping with family and after moving to Grand Forks he was so happy to be able to spend more time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Louie is survived by his wife Lee; daughters Debra Cooper of Grand Forks and Linda and her husband Mark Hoen of Jordan, Minnesota; three grandchildren Joshua (Meybell) Cooper of Oxnard, CA and Jentry (fiancé, Jennifer Dotson) Cooper of Grand Forks and April (fiancé, James Herbes) Stier of Montgomery, MN; five great grandchildren Joshua, James, Clara, Lily and Jentry and the mother of their children Vivian Schroeder of Fargo; six step children and several step grandchildren and great grandchildren; brother Bert (Grace) Steffen and sisters Theresa (Bennie) Eback, Leeds, ND, Barbara (Bernie) Samek, Wimbledon, ND and Anna (Harvey) Hettwer, Devils Lake; many nieces, nephews and their families. Louie was preceded in death by his parents; daughters Patricia and Clara; four grandchildren Jeremey and Jarrod Cooper, Eric Stier and Zachary Steffen and a sister Clara Jane.