Don was born to the Late Louise and Don Steckman Sr in Baltimore, Maryland on December 16, 1944. Don was born while his father was serving in World War 2. He was a volunteer firefighter from the age of 11 at Woodlawn Fire Department. Don graduated from Milford Mill High School in Baltimore at the age of 17 and quickly joined the Air Force.

Don served in the Air Force as air police during Vietnam, being stationed at Selfridge Air Force Base in Harrison Twp, MI. While stationed there he met his wife Jean at an A & W restaurant. Upon release from the military in 1966, Don became a police officer for Grosse Point Police Department. In 1968 he joined the Clinton Township Police Department as a patrolman, badge #1. Don was given many honors throughout his 25 years with Clinton Township, retiring a Detective Sargent.

After his retirement from police work in 1993, he joined the Macomb County Medical Examiners office as a Medical Investigator. He also became a paramedic and worked for the Richmond-Lenox Ems and Mt. Clemens General Hospital. He was a volunteer for the Richmond Fire Department and a member of the Good Ol' Days Festival planning committee, driving the queens court float for many years.

After his full retirement in 2011, he and his wife Jean moved to Florida where Don was a volunteer for James Haley Veterans Hospital, donated blood weekly, as well as volunteered for the Feeding Tampa Bay Food tent thru his church. Don always volunteered to speak about his careers in his daughter's classroom. For 7 years Don worked tirelessly being the sole caretaker for his wife of 60+ years Jean (and did a better job than anyone else). Don loved Rays Baseball, college football, NASCAR, was an avid reader, enjoyed camping and many concerts with his wife and friends.

Don was preceded in death by his wife, Jean, and is survived by his children: Don (Peggy), Steven, Mark (Laura) and Pam (Marc) Cesario and grandsons Dario and David Martinez, Connor and Sawyer Steckman, and his brother Ray Steckman of CO, plus 4 nieces and several great nieces and nephews.

He brought a light to every person he encountered during the last 18 months of his life battling ALS with strength, courage and a love for God.

Burial will be at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL on September 25th with full military honors. A Joint Celebration of life with his wife Jean will take place at Harvester Church in Land o' Lakes, FL on Saturday, September 26th at 11am.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to the ALS Association to help find a cure for this devastating disease or to Harvester Church