1947 – 2015

BRANFORD, Conn. — Steven Roy Fleckenstein Sr., 67, of Branford, Conn., died Sunday, March 8, at Connecticut Hospice Hospital.

He was born in Biddeford on Aug. 24, 1947, the son of Shirley P. Cooper and Arthur J. Fleckenstein. He enjoyed traveling the world and lived in Hawaii, California, Oregon, Maine, Idaho, Connecticut and South Carolina.

He graduated from Edward Little High School in 1965. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War aboard the USS Koelsch.

He was a rockhound and enjoyed art, music (loved his guitar), dancing, exploring nature and being free. He had a special love of animals, especially his dog, Kapu.

He was a merchant mariner, including work at the University of Hawaii Research Corp., working once on Jacque Cousteau’s crew, and as a security guard, roofer, Idahoan Potato Co., granite counter cutter and worked at a water plant in Maine.

He is survived by a son, Steven R. Fleckenstein Jr. and daughter, Stacey Fleckenstein, both of Hartsville, S.C.; mother, Shirley P. Cooper of North Yarmouth; sisters and their husbands, Velvet and Edwin Welch, Carrie and Glenn Theriault and Deborah and Roger Bowdoin; four very special grandchildren and three great-granddaughters. Steven had many nieces and nephews who were very special to him. He loved his family dearly and had many special friends from all over the country.

He was predeceased by his father and sister, Christine Henman.