William (Bill) Steele, age 83, of Vestavia Hills, Alabama passed away at home surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, January 10, 2019. He was born March 21, 1935 in Quirigua, Guatemala to Junius and Evelyn Steele.
Bill is survived by his wife, Diane Steele; his daughters Cheryl Steele, Karen Natalie (Robert), Leslie Flemming, and Pam Steele; his sister-in-law Gerri Sharp; his adored grandchildren Andrew Natalie, Tyler Natalie, Lindsey Flemming, Beau Flemming, Meghan McCoy, and Emma McCoy; nephew Mark Steele (Nancy); as well as extended family and friends.
He was preceded in passing by his parents Junius and Evelyn Steele and his brother, Richard Steele.
Bill was a loving husband for 62 years to his wife Diane; a caring father to his 4 girls; a fun-loving Papa to his grandchildren; a great brother-in-law; and a cherished dog dad to numerous pets. Bill lived generously and loved his family above all. Bill attended prep school at Northfield Mt. Hermon in Massachusetts. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech, where he met his beloved Diane. He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force and was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain in 1969. He went on to pursue a career in research and development at Southern Research Institute (SRI), during which time he earned a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Bill retired from SRI after nearly 40 years of service. In retirement, Bill took up creating stained glass and was a very talented artisan.
He was known for his generosity, his wonderful sense of humor, and his voracious sweet tooth. Bill was very skilled and knowledgeable about many things. He enjoyed teaching his family, especially his daughters and grandchildren, many life lessons. Bill loved to read detective novels, solve crossword puzzles, and spend time on the boat at the lake with his family. He leaves behind a great legacy of love and knowledge, and will be deeply missed by all those who knew and loved him.
A visitation for Bill will be held Saturday, January 12, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 4600 Preserve Pkwy, Hoover, Alabama 35226, followed by a funeral mass at 11:00 AM. Burial at Southern Heritage Cemetery, Pelham, Alabama.
Bill's family would like to thank the entire Comfort Care Hospice team, especially Lauren Rice and Christina Tatum. A special thanks goes also to Dr. William Hays for his compassionate care over many years.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Jimmie Hale Mission in Birmingham, Alabama, a charity very dear to Bill (https://jimmiehalemission.com/how-to-help/donate-online/).
