On March 8th, 2023, Stephen J. Langenfeld unexpectedly passed away at Caritas Good Samaritan hospital in Brockton. He was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer on Monday, March 6th.
Steve was born on August 18th, 1945, to the late Charles and Anna (Ganshirt) Langenfeld of Somerville, MA, and was the second of nine children. He is survived by his wife Joanne (Labossiere) Langenfeld, his daughter Kirsten Teceno (husband Scott Teceno), his son Stephen Langenfeld (partner James Kennedy) and his grandchildren Ashlee Crowley (husband Dylan), Hannah Duquette (husband David), Samantha Teceno, and Dean Teceno.
Stephen met his wife, Joanne in grammar school. After attending separate high schools, they met again one day on the bus. They decided to go out, and the rest is one of the all time greatest love stories! Steve was a doting husband and took the best care of Joanne right to the end!
Having worked for the telephone company for over 34 years as an equipment installer, Steve was an excellent provider for his family. He also served on the auxiliary police force in Whitman, MA for 36 years before retiring as a lieutenant. He then continued to give back to the community by participating in the town C.E.R.T. program.
One of Stephen's favorite pastimes was enjoying the shooting arts at the Hanson rod & gun club with his Uncle Jim Ganshirt. Indeed, Steve's wife would often joke with Jim's wife, Joan, that if they spent more than 2 days away from the club they would lose their manhood! But seriously, Steve enjoyed sharing his love of All things firearms related with his friends his children and even his children's friends. He also taught firearms training for the police.
The Boy Scouts were important to Steve and he made many lifelong friends through scouting. His family enjoyed trips to Camp Quinapoxet (now Camp Wildwood) in Rindge, NH where many of our fondest memories were made. Steve loved all of God's wild creations and enjoyed nature through camping, walks in the woods, bird feeders, and later, trail cams! He never threw away leftovers, opting instead to share with "the critters" in his back yard.
Steve was a kind and generous man who cared deeply about others and the beauty of nature. We would love to mention by name all of his beloved family (he included his friends in this category), but that list is too long and the writer's memory too poor. Stephen did not want "services" after his passing. With his usual dry wit, he asked only to be cremated and buried in a coffee can in the yard. When the weather is warmer, we will be holding a celebration of his life, probably somewhere outside. I think he would like that.