Geary Steffen, longtime 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 July 14 at a convalescent home in Santa Monica after suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for five years.
Born Oct. 28, 1923 in San Francisco, Steffen moved to the Southland in the late 1930s. In the following decade, he first gained fame as a professional figure skater, partnering with 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 10th Mountain Division as a lieutenant. He 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, he was active in Malibu politics, the Rotary Club 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. Friends and family say they shared a warm and loving relationship for 25 years before he passed away.