Marie E. Naylor

Marie Elizabeth Steele, oldest of eleven, mother of nine, grandmother of 20, great grandmother to more than 15 has passed away in Alexandria Hospital Center on 28 Dec 2012 at age 92. She was preceded in death by her husband, Perry Wilson Naylor and two of her siblings, Margaret Steele Kaiser and Helen Rita Steele Mavec. She is survived by six of her siblings; Jane Cade, Lillian Lane, Camille Mahone, Robert Steele, Patrick Steele and Ann Ireland; and by her nine children: Thomas, Carolyn Vogelsang, Robert Wayne, Micheal, Donald, Elaine Cook, Kevin, Julie Hayden and Brian.

She was a strong woman who helped her mother raise her siblings after their father had abandoned the family and who raised her own nine. Children were very dear to her and she was involved in the lives of many, both within and outside the family. She once heard Ronald Reagan on the radio and was immediately converted to a Republican for the rest of her life. She met Barbara Bush both in the Vice President’s home and in the White House. As a symbol of her loyalty, she collected elephants.

She had hoped to renew her driver’s license when she was 98, and planned to dance at her 100th birthday party. Her mind was clear and her will was strong but her body just couldn't keep up with her any more. Two of her favorite sayings were: “Some people like to sit on their porch and watch others go by. I want to be one of the ones going by” and a quote from Henry Ford which ended all of her emails: “Whether you think you can or think you can't, you are right”.