It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Richard Lee (Dick) Steele. Richard departed this life on June 15, 2025, at the age of 89.
Richard was born October 6, 1935, in Culver, Indiana, the second son of Paul and Leona (Stouder) Steele. Dick graduated from Culver High School in 1953 and attended Purdue University, earning an engineering degree in 1957. He married Doris Mae Truitt, of Spiceland, Indiana, as they graduated from Purdue. Doris passed away in 1998, and he later married Carol Apple Ammerman, a sorority sister of Doris’ at Purdue. Dick and Carol were from the same Indiana county but did not meet until their days at Purdue. Dick was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Kenneth.
Out of college, Richard worked for a division of International Harvester in Libertyville, Illinois. Dick had stops in Enid, Oklahoma and Rockford, Illinois before moving his family to Lebanon, Indiana in 1973 to join Webb Wheel, a division of Chicago-based Marmon Industries. Dick became president of Webb and in 1981 he was responsible for moving Webb Wheel to Cullman, Alabama to build a new corporate headquarters and manufacturing plant for truck and trailer parts. Webb’s other plant was in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, but in time, they would build several other plant locations. Dick led Webb until his retirement in 1999.
Richard built a home on Smith Lake in 1981, and the lake was his retreat. He enjoyed boating, fishing, hunting, gardening and golf. Dick spearheaded numerous Canadian fishing trips with his father, sons, close friends and on his last trip in 2009, several of his grandsons. Like all of the Steele men, Dick loved to catch and eat walleye!
He is survived by Carol, his wife of 25 years. Richard and Doris had three children who all survive. Douglas (Karen), of Vincennes, Indiana; Denise (John Powell), of Stanley, New Mexico; and David (Patti), of Birmingham, Alabama, along with nine grandchildren John Powell, Clint Powell, Katie Gray, Kristen Farthing, Andrew Steele, Michael Steele, Thomas Steele, Kevin Steele, Caela Steele, and seventeen great grandchildren. He is also survived by Carol’s four children Connie Jolin (Mitch) Anchorage, Alaska; Scott Ammerman (Linda), New Zealand; Brett Ammerman (Maria), Parker, Colorado; Curtt Ammerman, Los Alamos, New Mexico, fourteen step grandchildren, and five step great grandchildren.
Both Doug and David inherited Dick’s love of Smith Lake, with Doug purchasing Dick and Carol’s home in 2021, and David buying a lake house nearby.
Richard’s service will be on June 28th at First Presbyterian Church, 615 3rd Avenue SE in Cullman, Alabama. Calling will begin at 2:00 pm and services begin at 3:00 pm.
Remembrances may be made to First Presbyterian Church in Cullman or to Southerncare New Beacon Hospice, 417 Main St. NE, Hanceville, AL 35077.
