Bernice E. Steele

Born on New Year’s Eve in 1924, Bernice grew up in Columbia, SC, and went to high school in nearby Lexington, where she met and married her husband of 54 years, Thomas Pinckney (TP) Steele. The young couple settled in Lexington, and after TP returned from serving in the Pacific during World War II, raised their family there. Bernice enjoyed her work as a bookkeeper, as well as gardening and playing bridge. Later, she taught her grandchildren to play cards and all have wonderful memories of the games she played with them.

After TP suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed, Bernice cared for him for 25 years. After he passed away in 1999, she moved to Charlotte, NC, to be closer to her daughter and her family. She lived at Elmcroft of Little Avenue and loved socializing and arts and crafts. Bernice especially relished her frequent bingo wins and was known for speaking her mind.

Bernice is preceded in death by her husband, TP, and her son, Thomas. She is survived by daughter, Patricia Raible, who cared for her mother for many years, and her husband, Michael; grandchildren, Ashli Calvert (Chad), Jennifer Sanderson (Kirk), Amber Stepp, Jason Steele (Jenny), Susan Steele, and Patrick Raible (Emily); and great-grandchildren, Max, Madelyn, Kadie, Jacob, Kourtney, James, Tanner, Tucker, Lillian, Evelyn, Griffon and Corman.

Visitation will be held Monday, March 11, 2019, from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. at Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, Lexington Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial gifts be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association.