Geary Steffen

Steffen, Geary
Geary Steffen, long-time polo player at Will Rogers Polo Club, ice skating partner in the 1940s with Sonja Henie, member of the Rancheros Vistadores, and prominent insurance agent, died of pneumonia on Wednesday, July 14, at a convalescent home in Santa Monica after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for five years. Born on October 28, 1923, in San Francisco, Steffen moved to the southland in the late 1930s, and in the following decade first gained fame as a professional figure skater, partnering with Sonja Henie, world champion skater and actress. With Henie, Steffen appeared in both ice carnivals and motion pictures. Steffen was a veteran of World War II, serving in the famed Tenth Mountain Division as lieutenant. Steffen received a citation for meritorious service in combat near Mt. Belvedere, Italy, in February 1945, and was awarded a Bronze Star. Following the war, Steffen returned to Southern California. For many years, Steffen was active in Malibu city politics, Rotary, and other civic affairs. A gifted athlete, Steffen played polo, tennis, and skied until late in his life. Steffen first married actress Jane Powell, with whom he had two children, Geary, Jr., and Suzanne. He later married Anne Salva, with whom he had three children, Christianne, Allyson, and Baron. At the time of his death, Steffen was married to Mary Lou Morgan, whom he met when they were Malibu neighbors. They shared a warm and loving relationship for twenty-five years before he passed away.