James Allen Steffenburg, February 27, 2020

from Legacy.com

James Alan (sic) Steffenburg of New Haven died peacefully on the morning of February 27, 2020 at Yale-New Haven Hospital, after an extensive hospitalization. He was 72 years old.

Jim was born on December 17, 1947 in Libertyville, Illinois, to Lars Steffenburg and Virginia Tidmarsh Steffenburg. He grew up in Antioch, Illinois in a warm and loving home with his parents, his younger sister Mary, and their beloved grandmother, Ruth Tidmarsh, known affectionately as ‘Nanna’.

Jim attended and graduated from St. Peters Grade School and Antioch High School, where he excelled both academically and athletically, competitive on both the cross-country track and golf teams.

Jim was admitted to Yale as an undergraduate and as a member of Saybrook College and the Class of 1969. Jim recently attended and celebrated his 50th Class Reunion in May.

Originally intending to study oceanography, he became an art history major after taking a class with renowned Yale Professor Vince Scully his sophomore year.

It was during Jim’s senior year that he met his beloved wife Gloria Anne Pregano, a theater and visual arts major at Albertus Magnus College. They were engaged upon Jim’s graduation, and married a year later in June Of 1970. They enjoyed 40 loving, joyful and amazing years together, before Gloria’s untimely passing in 2010. Jim often noted that they would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this June.

Upon graduation, Jim worked for 10 years in the commercial construction industry with Corbetta and Co., while Gloria pursued a successful career as a dancer, dance teacher, model, and repertory theater actress.

Jim entered Yale’s School of Organization and Management in 1979, where he graduated in 1981 with a Master’s Degree In Public and Private Management. He was then recruited by the consulting division of Coopers and Lybrand (now PriceWaterhouseCoopers) where he worked until his retirement in 2012.

Jim’s honesty, integrity, hard work, and outstanding ability to translate complex management issues into actionable client solutions saw him rise rapidly from consultant, to Manager, to Director, and finally Managing Director, one of a handful of employees ever to reach that level.

Jim and Gloria were very devoted and committed Catholics, serving actively in the ministries of St. Mary’s Church. Gloria was both a member of the Parish Council and Director of the Lectors Ministry for 25 years, while Jim served on both the Parish and Finance Councils for 35 years. He also served St. Mary’s as a Trustee from 2014 until the merger of St. Mary’s with Saint Joseph’s in 2018.

Jim was an active folk and bluegrass musician, taking lessons on a variety of stringed instruments – and performing extensively in two bluegrass ensembles, The Guilford ramblers and The Elm City Ramblers, with internationally renowned composer, performer and recording artist Phil Rosenthal at his studio in Guilford. Jim was also an aficionado and avid collector of Martin folk and bluegrass instruments, hosting several Exhibitions and Open Jams featuring his extensive collection, attended by scores of family friends and fellow musicians.

Jim is survived by his sister Mary Kumpfer, of Bristol, Wisconsin; Mary’s husband, brother-in-law Bob Kumpfer; niece and God-Daughter Julie Eckhart and her husband, Jake; and nephew Joseph Kumpfer and his wife, Jessica, all of whom also reside in Bristol Wisconsin. Jim is also survived by grandnieces and grandnephews Addison, Ayla, and Aliza Kumpfer; and Dylan, Drew and Dane Eckhart; as well as by many cousins in Illinois, Indiana, and Florida, all of with whom Jim shared a special relationship.