Michael "Mike" E. Steffen, age 81 of Watertown, passed away on Friday, August 28, 2026 at the Brookings Health System.
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 3, 2026 at First United Methodist Church in Watertown. Rev. Kim Hastings will officiate. Visitation will be held at the church prior to services on Thursday, starting at 12:00 p.m.
Michael "Mike" Eugene Steffen was born in Appleton, Minn. to Billie Gervaise Strain and Oliver "Ollie" Franklin Steffen on March 13, 1945. In 1954, the family moved to their new farm near Garden City, S.D., but Minnesota never really left Mike. He continued traveling back with his dad to help on the family farm until 1962, and those years in Minnesota would remain some of his favorite memories throughout his life. In his final months, his mind returned to those memories.
Mike was a character from the beginning. If he wasn't farming, he was driving around with his friends or working around with his friends or working on his car. He had a fondness for fast cars, motorcycles, and occasionally, making choices that probably seemed like a good idea at the time. He once rode his motorcycle inside the school, and his refusal to cut his long black hair resulted him trying out a few different schools—Garden City, Thorpe and Bradley—before graduating in 1963.
Mike started working with Mary's uncle, Bud as a parts man at Bard and Wika, late NAPA, when he was 18 years old. He stayed with the company for 30 years and continued working in the automotive parts business for another decade. Eventually, he operated Northland Corvette Supply.
Mike met Mary Ellen Hartley while they were in school, and on January 10, 1965, they were married. From that day forward, Mary was the love of his life, his partner in everything and occasionally the only person who could keep him in line. Everyone who knew them knew there was a difference between "Mike" and "Michael." He was Mike most of the time. But, when Mary called him "Michael," she really wanted his attention. For 55 years, they built a life together, raised their daughter, chased adventures and accumulated more stories than could ever fit in an obituary.
Mike and Mary had one daughter, Susan of Watertown, and one grandson, Tanner of Sioux Falls. Mike is also survived by his younger sister, Vicki and younger brother, Stacey. His parents, Billie and Ollie, preceded him in death. Family was at the center of Mike's life and especially important to him in the years after Mary's death.
Cars, motorcycles and guns were never just hobbies for Mike; they were part of who he was. He loved hot rods, motorcycles and was a proud, longtime member "Gunner" of the Clark County Riders. Guns became another passion, bringing him into a community of friends who shared his interests. He was involved with the local Pistol Club and enjoyed Cowboy Action Shooting as the "Sioux River Ranger". The club, gun shows and shooting competitions became an important part of his life and gave him many of the friendships and stories he carried with him over the years. He spent many years with booths at area gun shows, where he could talk guns, cars, parts and just about anything else with anyone who stopped by.
Mike spent many years working in real estate, beginning with Hoftezier Real Estate and eventually working with Hann-Klein Realty. It suited Mike well because it gave him two things he loved: connecting with people and helping them.
Following the floods of 1997, Mike joined FEMA while they were in the area. That opportunity eventually led to a security position at the Social Security Office in Watertown, where he later retired. Retirement, however, did not exactly mean sitting still.
Mike loved auctions and swap meets and was always looking for the next one to attend. He also spent a lot of time hunting, and hunting season was as much about the people as it was the hunt. He shared countless seasons with his siblings, Vicky and Stacey, and there was always plenty of time for stories, laughter and more than a few shenanigans along the way. His nieces and nephews were often part of those adventures as well, and he loved having them around. He had a way of making those times memorable, and the stories from hunting season became part of the family history.
He had an incredible knowledge of anything mechanical. If something was broken, Mike usually knew how to fix it—or was determined to figure it out. He also loved to teach, especially Susan, Tanner and the younger family members, and was always willing to share what he knew. He was generous with his time, always willing to help and more than willing to offer his advice; whether you asked for it was sometimes besides the point.
He also had a sense of humor that could catch you when you least expected it. Mike was stubborn, independent, curious and endlessly interested in whatever was around the next corner. He collected stories, friends, tools, cars, parts and probably a few things he had no actual need for but was absolutely certain he might need someday.
If there was somewhere to go, something to see, something to fix, or an adventure to be had, Mike was generally interested.
That was Mike.
Mike passed away on August 28, 2026, at the hospital in Brookings from complications of Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's slowly changed Mike and took away pieces of the man his family knew. But, it never changed how deeply he was loved.
After Mary died on August 6, 2020, Mike was devastated by losing the woman who had been beside him for 55 years. Losing her changed everything. Susan and Tanner became his reason to keep going, and they knew that the time they had left with him was borrowed. They treasured the good days, the familiar stories, the moments of humor and simply being together.
Mike leaves behind his daughter, Susan and grandson, Tanner, along with countless friends and family members who were lucky enough to know him, laugh with him learn from him and occasionally shake their heads at him.
And somewhere beyond all the roads he traveled, the cars he loved, adventures he chased and the stories he collected, Mike is finally back where he belongs. With Mary. After 55 years together, they are together again. Their love story continues.
Arrangements entrusted to Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel www.crawfordosthus.com Watertown and Hayti
