AUGUST “AUGIE” STOEFFLER

Originally published in the Fort Schuyler Magazine – Fall/Winter – 2025-2026

AUGUST STOEFFLER ‘45 LEGACY

New York State Maritime Academy Class of 1945 graduate August "Augie" Stoeffler celebrated his 100th birthday last March 2025, with Maritime College and the Alumni Association joyfully sharing his milestone with an on-campus honor and a Class Note in the Summer 2025 issue of Fort Schuyler. Augie and his daughter, Jill Stoeffler, share more of his background, his time at our predecessor institution, and his long, storied career. 

Growing up in Locust Point in The Bronx, NY, Augie was an avid sailor and racer in the East River Fleet aboard his sloop-rigged Star Class Keelboat. Attending the Maritime Academy, Augie specialized in the Deck Department, studying navigation, seamanship, and the maritime Rules of the Road. He also taught sailing to his fellow cadets. Augie shares a beloved "Maritime memory" of a race challenge by the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy: "Fort Schuyler had no boats; we had to use Kings Point's boats. Fort Schuyler won – using Kings Point's boats!" Augie's sail instruction clearly paid off! 

With a Second Mate Unlimited license, Augie joined the Naval Reserve and sailed briefly with Grace Shipping, mainly between New York and western South America before attending and graduating from Rutgers University with a civil engineering degree. This launched a career that included work as project engineer on the man-made islands for the 1952 construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge between Stevensville and Annapolis, Maryland, and the excavation, beginning 1972, for Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands. Augie worked many years with Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company (GLDD) on global projects in Egypt, Israel, Antigua, Ecuador, and elsewhere, and on many Atlantic coastal beach reclamation projects with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Retired and living in Florida, Augie continued sailing with his wife, Doris, often for months at a time, from West End, Bahamas, south to the Exuma islands and to many islands in between. Doris passed away in 2022 after 76 years of marriage and an adventuresome life with her beau. Augie continued attending Maritime College reunions until around 2018, uniting with '45 classmates Richard V. Kadison and Arthur R. Murray, both of whom have since passed, leaving Augie the sole survivor of the Class. Today, with the help of his daughters, Augie lives in his own Florida home, playing golf twice a week. Augie offers timeless advice to his Maritime family of students and alumni alike: "Pursue your passions and 'you will never work a day in your life'!" 

Memories

Augie Stoeffler ‘45 in uniform during his U.S Naval Reserve service.

Augie Stoeffler ‘45 in his newest Maritime swag.

Augie celebrated his 100th birthday March 11, 2025. Pictured left to right are Jill Stoeffler’s sister (and Augie’s daughter) Gay, Augie’s daughter Jill, Augie, and Jill’s other sister Kim.

Augie is a life-long avid sailor. From his experience racing his Star Class keelboat around the East River, he instructed cadets at New York Maritime Academy, leading to a school victory over the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.

2018: Class of 1945 Reunion in the Maritime College Special Events Room. Left to right, are: Augie Stoeffler ’45, Augie’s wife Doris Stoeffler, Karen Kadison, Richard Kadison ’45, Arthur Murray ’45, and Jill Stoeffler. Doris, Richard Kadison, and Arthur Murray have since crossed the bar.