Jonathan (Jon) Daniel Steffy, 60, and Roberta (Bobbie) Ann Steffy, 61, died of asphyxiation in their home in General Santos City, the Philippine Islands, on August 7, 2021.

Jon, the son of David and Uldine Steffy, was both born and died in the Philippines. His birthdate was July 2, 1961, at Chong Hua Hospital, Cebu City, in central Philippines. Jonathan was saved at age 8, during a youth camp in Canton, Ohio This was Camp Chof, the camp of the Canton Baptist Temple. Jon had two sisters, Lydia Jane Wade, deceased, and Joanna D. Steffy of Springfield. Jonathan’s father, David, died January 4, 2021. His mother, Uldine, still lives in Springfield. Jon grew up in the Philippines, so he seldom attended public schools in the U.S.

Jonathan’s parents lived in the southern Philippines where their life’s work was located. Jonathan and his sisters were mostly home schooled, but all three graduated from Decision Valley Christian Schools, in Streetsboro, Ohio. Life in the United States demanded a lot of travel for them, either visiting their parents’ supporting churches or visiting family in Iowa and Ohio, since David was from Ohio and Uldine from Iowa. As a hobby, Jon loved to fly virtually, that is, he would fly the same routes as the airplanes he knew so well. Jon graduated this year from Louisiana Baptist University with a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Biblical Studies.

Bobbie was born at St. Mary’s Mercy Hospital in Gary, Indiana, on July 24, 1960. Her parents were Kelly and Judy Mann. She lived all her young life in Walkerton, Indiana and was born again in her young teen years. She has three siblings: Steve, Shelley Beatty, and Clarissa Mann Gambrell. Her mother still lives in Walkerton. Bobbie was always full of joy and was very artistic. She is very much missed, but her family holds on to the knowledge that they will see her again, as does Jon’s family. Their labor was not in vain.

Jon and Bobbie met at Baptist Bible College in Springfield Missouri, and they were married in Walkerton Indiana, on November 10, 1984. They were blessed with two daughters, Cynthia, of Taylor, Texas, and Esther Peterson, and a grandson, Ayden. Ayden was Jon and Bobbie’s pride and joy.

After both Jon and Bobbie graduated from Baptist Bible College, and were married, they worked in churches here in Springfield and in northeastern Ohio. They were approved as missionaries to the Philippines in May 1988 by the Baptist Bible Fellowship International or BBFI. They then went on deputation to find churches to support them and their work, which began around 1990. Then, they made Bobbie’s first trip across the Pacific to the Philippines.

They worked in and pastored the Bible Baptist Church of Iloilo City, Panay Island, and they started a church on the north side of Iloilo, which is pastored today by Ruel Gustilo, and which is doing well. He also taught in the Bible College in Iloilo during those years. Bobbie really enjoyed doing work with Filipino children in all the churches they worked in. She was a very good soul winner.

In their latest missionary journey to the Philippine islands, the Lord led them to go to General Santos City in the extreme southern part of the country and start a work. This was not an easy task since they had no Filipinos to go with them to help, but God sent them some help from a local Baptist church and the work they started began to grow. Who will pick up the work they started? God knows and is in control of every situation. Jon and Bobbie are in heaven with Him now waiting for us to join them. What’s left here is just the shells they lived in.

The funeral will be held at Park Crest Baptist Church in Springfield, Missouri at 10 AM on September 11, 2021, with the burial to follow at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.