Stephen Gerard Hasenkampf passed away at his home in New Orleans on Sunday, October 24, 2020 at the age of 65. Born March 7, 1955 in Arabi, Louisiana to Herman and Stella Hasenkampf, Steve is predeceased by his parents and brother Christian, and is survived by his wife Peggy LeBlanc, brother David, sister Clare, sons Jesse and Anton, and four grandchildren. A man with no need for wealth or recognition, Steve’s life exemplified the humble virtues of love of family, kindness and decency. Steve married his high school sweetheart Peggy in 1977 and his love and affection for her never waned in more than forty years together. As a father, Steve devoted himself completely to his family. He understood that the greatest gift you can give your family is your time, whether as a stay at home dad, tirelessly working multiple jobs, serving as PTO president or little league coach – he was always giving. Steve’s kindness and devotion benefited not just his children, but the countless neighborhood kids invited to join in camping, fishing and canoeing trips he was always happy to lead. Steve also loved bringing people together through the gift of his cooking, from his legendary New Year’s Day gumbo to a post-Katrina crab boil in a gutted house before a single neighbor was back on the block. Professionally, Steve enjoyed a diverse array of careers (teacher, medical equipment sales, portable air conditioning) with the main common element being that they allowed him to interact with a wide array of the community. Steve thrived in this context not only because of his affable personality, but because he always treated everyone with respect and kindness, and whether at work, home, or otherwise, he never had an unkind word to say about anyone. His loss will be felt for many years to come, but the inspiration of his example will persist even longer.
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