Arvil "Junior" E. Steelman Jr.

Junior is survived by his sons, Mark Christopher Steelman (Lindsay), Kevin Brent Steelman (Kelly) and David Alan Steelman; his stepsons, Eric Jon Moberg, Jr. and Gregory Wesley Moberg (Stephanie) and his eight grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Arvil Early Steelman and Electa Beatrice Simmons Steelman; his wife, Loretta Charlotte May J. Steelman and Christine H. Steelman, daughter-in-law.

Junior was born on February 26, 1945 in Yadkinville, North Carolina to Arvil Early Steelman and Electa Beatrice Simmons Steelman. He graduated from Yadkinville High School in 1963, where he was the captain of the basketball team and earned MVP and All Northwest Team honors. He was also a member of the baseball team. He went on to play basketball at Brevard Junior College, leading them to the Junior College Final Four in 1964. After two years at Brevard, he transferred to Pfeiffer College where he played basketball for one year before transferring to North Carolina State University where he graduated in 1968 with a BS degree in Applied Mathematics. Following graduation, he worked for Cannon Mills in Kannapolis, North Carolina before moving to Columbia, South Carolina in 1972. After moving to Columbia, he worked for the State Treasurer’s office, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, PMSC and AgFirst as a computer programmer.

After retiring from AgFirst in 2010, his primary focus was spending time with his grandchildren and keeping up with their lives. He was an active member of his Sunday school class at Northeast Presbyterian Church and his Tuesday morning men’s Bible study group.

Junior was an avid golfer and a self-taught musician who enjoyed listening to music and playing his banjo. One of his favorite hobbies was playing bluegrass music at multiple venues around South Carolina with his close friends in the County Line Band. His children remember the countless hours he spent with them on the golf course teaching them how to play the game and teaching them a lot about life in the process.

A funeral is scheduled for 11 o’clock a.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2020, at Northeast Presbyterian Church, 601 Polo Rd, Columbia, with interment to follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends on Friday, September 18, 2020 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home – Northeast, 4219 Hardscrabble Road, Columbia. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Junior's life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Northeast Presbyterian Church or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Online condolences may be left at caughmanlexington.com.

The service will be available via live stream on Caughman-Harman Funeral Home, Lexington Chapel’s Facebook page.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff from Heart of Hospice, as well as Sabrina Parker, Renee Greenbaum and Terra Sanders and her mom, Tammy for their care and dedication.