Lefa Jane Keller Steel 1866-1926

STEEL, KELLER, BUNDY, KNODE, KEMP, SPEARS, VANVALKENBERG, WING, SHERMAN

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 2/24/2012 at 18:17:37

Mrs. John Steele [Steel] Died Suddenly Friday [November 5, 1926]
Death Came Suddenly While She Was In Bed – Funeral Held Sunday
Mrs. John Steele passed away suddenly at her home in this city early Friday morning. She arose as usual about 5:00 and dressed herself but did not leave her bedroom. When one of the members of the family went to call her about 9:00 o’clock she did not respond and they entered the bedroom to find her lying across the bed fully dressed. They shook her but got no response and further investigation revealed that she had passed away. The coroner’s inquest stated that she had been dead from three to four hours when found. Mrs. Steele had been bothered with goitere trouble for the past three years and it is believed that this eventually caused her death.

Lefa Jane Keller was born in Plasico [?] county, New York, July 5, 1866. At the age of fifteen she moved with her parents to Buena Vista county, Iowa. On January 17, 1888 she was united in marriage with John M. Steele. In 1909 the family moved to Estherville where they have since made their home ever since. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Steele, one having preceded her in death.

During her residence here Mrs. Steele led rather a retired life. She was a pleasant lady to neighbor with and was kind to everyone. She kept her troubles to herself and never bothered nor troubled anyone. She will be greatly missed both in her home and in her large circle of friends.

Funeral services were held from the Allen Funeral home on Sunday afternoon and the remains laid to rest beside the bodies of her husband and child in Oak Hill cemetery. Rev. H.L. Olmstead officiated at the services.

She leaves to mourn her departure nine children, three sisters, two brothers and 19 grandchildren. Pearl W., John Jr., Joseph, Jay and Arthur, Mrs. A.J. Bundy of Estherville, Mrs. Otto Knode of Iowa Falls, Mrs. Curt Kemp, of Sunny Vale, Cal., Mrs. Byron Spears of Chicago. Sisters, Mrs. A.J.Vanvalkenburg, Estherville, Mrs. Charles Wing, Brewster, Minn., Mrs. W.L. Sherman, Chatsworth, Ill. Two brothers, Fred Keller, Estherville and J.H. Keller, Des Moines.

Her parents and husband and one infant have preceded her in death. The sympathy of the entire community is extended the bereaved relatives and family in their hours of grief and sorrow over the loss of their loved one. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, November 10, 1926)