David Steele

David Steele passed away peacefully Thursday, March 3 at St Luke’s Nursing home.  

David was born on May 29, 1927 in Percy, Ill.  David’s parents, Elizabeth and Richard Steele, had nine children.  David and his siblings grew up on a farm where he spent many hours planting, cutting and stalking corn.  He rode a horse to school and also took a team and wagon to town to trade baskets of eggs for other goods.  David had many fond memories of farm life and helping his mother with her canning and chores on the farm.  David enlisted in the Marines at age 20 and went to boot camp at Paris Island, S.C. David served his country along with all six of his brothers.  David served in China at the end of World War II in an ammunitions dump, a very dangerous job.  David met his wife, Norma North, later in Holland, Mich.  They married in 1946 and Norma gave birth to three children, Gary, Mark, (deceased), and Kathy Steele, (deceased). David had four grandchildren, Ryan, Erin, Adam, (deceased), and Dylan.  David spent most of his life working as a contractor and building homes.  He taught himself to draw blueprints, play a harmonica and enjoyed animals.  He passed on his carpentry skills to both his sons taking them to work with him as small children and teaching them both his trade.  David is survived by his wife Norma and son Gary of St Ignatius, his daughter-in-law Kim and her children, Ryan, Erin and Dillon.  He loved all his four of his grandchildren dearly and his eight great grandchildren, Kendall, Aiden, Owen, Ireland, Ryder, Dallas, Destiny and Camilla.

Memorial services for David will be on March 10 at 5 p.m. at St. Ignatius Senior Citizens Center with a potluck meal to follow.