Jackson Thomas Steffes, 1939-2014

Jackson Thomas Steffes, scientist and coach, passed away on Sunday,   Feb. 23 at the age of 74.   Jackson is survived by his wife of 49 years, Sandra Steffes, his two sons, Byron and Kent Steffes, and his three grandchildren, Sasha (15), Katharine (9), and Conrad (7).

On March 16, 1939, Jackson was born very close to Detroit, in the hard-working town of Ecorse, Michigan, to Doris and Arthur Steffes. He had one older brother, Arthur, who preceded him in death by nine months.

Always doing well in school, Jackson earned a spot at the University of Michigan, down the road from Ecorse in Ann Arbor.  He achieved three degrees while he was there: an undergraduate degree in physics, a masters in mathematics, and a masters in nuclear physics.

Jackson was not just a brilliant student; he was also a varsity track athlete at Michigan, specializing in the long jump, placing third in the Big 10.  With his gifts in physics and mathematics, Jackson began pursuing his PhD in physics. His graduate research on optical tracking systems took him to the Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii for a year. During this time, he was recruited by Hughes Aircraft, based in El Segundo, California.

In the late 1960s, Southern California was much like Silicon Valley today for scientists like Jackson. The aerospace industry was developing the latest and greatest technology to support our country’s defense. Jackson worked from 1968 until 1994 in the anti-ballistic missile programs of Hughes Aircraft’s EDSG division, which became a legendary source of new technologies for the United States. He developed infra-red optical systems and many other innovations, some of which are still classified and orbit the earth today.

In 1964, he married his sweetheart from the University of Michigan, Sandra Katharine Apgar. In 1969, they moved their two little boys, Byron and Kent, from Ann Arbor to the Pacific Palisades where he has lived ever since.

A lifelong track enthusiast, he participated in Masters track events well into his sixties. He is a world record holder in the 4×400 Relay for Men over 50.  He also coached other Masters Track participants. Jackson organized the Hughes Aircraft track team which often competed and won against larger corporate competitors such as IBM. Jackson’s personal best was 23.1 seconds in the 200 meters for men over 50.

Jackson was often seen coaching both of his sons in every conceivable sport. His father, Arthur, was a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals organization briefly right before the Great Depression, so it was natural that he particularly focused his energy on coaching baseball.

A coaching legend in the Palisades Pony Baseball Association for many years, he lead the PPBA “Braves” organization and coached literally hundreds of Palisadians, many of whom regard him as the greatest coach they ever had.

For the last 10 years, Jackson had been very involved with his three grandchildren. He made it to most of the children’s sporting and scouting events, travelling all over Los Angeles to be there. They made frequent trips to Disneyland together and saw every G-rated movie on the day it opened in the theaters.

Jackson Steffes, always a quiet man, left a huge legacy in the scientific innovations that he was part of and in the hearts and minds of the hundreds of people whose lives were positively impacted by his coaching, not the least of which were his two sons, his colleagues and track mates and his grandchildren. He will be greatly missed.