Lillian Katherine Biggs Steele

Lillian Katherine Biggs Steele, age 96, of Castle Hayne, died Tuesday, May 25, 2010, at home. Katherine was born on January 6, 1914, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, daughter of Atlantic Coastline Railroad Dispatcher, the late Benjamin F. Biggs and Mary Lowery Biggs. She was preceded in death by her sister Margaret Biggs Murphy, three brothers, George H. Biggs, Robert L. Biggs, and Benjamin F. Biggs. The railroad took her and her family to Kankakee, Illinois, then back to Wilmington where she graduated from New Hanover High School in 1932. She was employed by Federal Paper and later on by the federal government in Washington, DC. She moved to Hagerstown, Maryland in the late 1950's and was the office manager at Holland Woven Labels. In 1969, her parents became ill and she returned home to Sunset Park in Wilmington to care for them. After their deaths, she worked as a store manager for Seven-Eleven for 10 years, Zip Mart for seven years and retired with Crown at the age of 78. After she retired from the convenience store industry, she worked with her son at Steele Electrical until the age of 85. She enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, the many animals at her home, and a Hardee's Cheesburger. She is survived by her son James B. Steele and wife, Shirley A. Steele of Castle Hayne, NC; grandson, James Ben Steele, II; granddaughter, Mary Catherine Steele; step granddaughters, Jessica and Sarah Horne. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, June 5, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. at Oakdale Cemetery at 520 N. 15th Street, Wilmington, North Carolina. The family will receive friends immediately following the graveside at Wesleyan Chapel United Methodist Church in Scotts Hill. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc., 1000 East State Parkway, Suite I, Schaumburg, IL 60173.