Mary Steele

Mrs. Mary S. Steele, 95, died peacefully on July 20, 2019, at Kline Hospice House in Mt. Airy, Md. She was the wife of Dr. James C. Steele, MD, who predeceased her.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11, 2019, at Middletown Methodist Church in Middletown, Md. Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the church. A reception will follow in the social hall.

In lieu of flowers, please plant a tree or make a memorial donation to Middletown United Methodist Church, Middletown, Md. or the Alzheimer’s Association in her honor. Stauffer’s Funeral Home, Frederick, Md. is in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Steele was born Oct. 13, 1923, to Gillespie Ray and Mary Garland Smith in Richlands, Va. She grew up on a farm in Hardy, Va. and was valedictorian of her high school class at Burnt Chimney High School. She married James C. Steele on Oct. 14, 1944, in Roanoke Va. She loved opera, travel, reading, photography, sewing, gardening, rock collecting, birdwatching, knitting and puzzles of all kinds. She was a member of Middletown UMC, Middletown, Md.

Mrs. Steele is survived by six children, Linda Steele-Green (Ken) of Plant City, Fla., Richard C. Steele (Jill), of McKinney, Texas, Michael G. Steele, of Waukegan, Ill., Judith A. Burd (John) of Damascus, Md., Kathleen S. Wulff (Bill), of Middletown, Md. and James C. Steele (Julie), of Arlington, Va. She is also survived by one sister, Mrs. Emily Hoyer, of Gainesville, Fla.; 13 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

She will be interred with her husband at Arlington National Cemetery in a private ceremony.