Steele, Ruth Mae 1880-1963

STEELE, GILBERT, DAVIS, WHEELER, WEBBER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 8/1/2012 at 08:48:41

RUTH MAE STEELE
TAUGHT SCHOOL IN
POWESHIEK COUNTY

Memorial services for Mrs. Joseph R. Steele were conducted at 2 p.m. Jan. 14 by Rev. G.R. Dieken at the Steffy Funeral Home. Miss Alice Underwood played the musical selections and accompanied Mrs. Vincent Johnson as she sang "Rock of Ages" and "God Be With You Til We Meet Again."

Interment was in the cemetery of the West Liberty Church of Christ beside her husband. Casket bearers were Alvie and Allie Johnson, Ed Gilbreaith, Raymond Hull, Charles Hudson and Paul Van Roekel.

Ruth Mae Steele, daughter of Rebekah Gilbert and James Davis, was born Nov. 9, 1880, near Kirkville, Iowa, and died at the Mahaska hospital in Oskaloosa, after a short illness, at the age of 82 years, 2 months and 3 days.

On Feb. 28, 1900, she was united in marriage with Joseph R. Steele of Union township, Poweshiek county, and to this union was born one daughter Garnette, (Mrs. Cecil Wheeler) who made her home with her mother, but spent the school year in Bettendorf where she is employed in the public schools. Mr. Steele died in 1933.

George Webber of Deep River lived with the Steele family from the age of 10. A mutual devotion developed between the famiy and George, and they raised him as a son.

Mrs. Steele spent most of her girlhood in Grinnell, where she graduated with honors from the public schools, and later attended Grinnell college. After graduation she taught in Union township.

She moved, as a bride, to a home in this community and spent the rest of her life here. The last four years she has spent part of the time with her daughter in Bettendorf.

Early in life she became a member of the Christian Church at Forest Home, and later was affiliated with the West Liberty Church of Christ.

She has long been active in the affairs of the community of which she lived. She was a member of the Forest Home club, D.A.R., United Presbyterian Woman's Society,and Pythian Sisters.