Roseanna Marie Steele

Roseanna “Rosie” Marie Steele passed away on November 30, 2025, after a brief illness. She was born on November 26, 1949, in Othello, Washington to William (Bill) Colleen Steele. She attended Moses Lake Schools, graduating from Moses Lake High School in 1968. While in High School, she was active in many clubs and raised horses, including her beloved Appaloosa, Corky. She continued her education at Central Washington State College, graduating in 1974. While at CWSC, she worked as a dispatcher for campus police. She also met her roommate of 55 years, Mary Kraining. After college, she worked at Pacific Northwest Bell as a plugboard operator. She continued through many company name changes and job titles, retiring from Qwest in 2004 after 30 years.

She was also very active in the Communication Workers of America Union Local 9020. She ran their holiday parties for a local nursing home for many years. After retirement, Rosie volunteered at numerous Yakima Valley agencies, including the Cottage at the Meadow Hospice, and taught technology to seniors at the Harmon Center.

Rosie was a 50-year-plus resident of Yakima. She loved to travel, even if it was short trips. Some of her favorite drives were to Ellensburg through the Yakima River Canyon or up the pass to see the Elk. She was an avid reader and had an incredible love of animals. She always had a couple cats and dogs as well as horses.

She is survived by her sisters in law, Betsy Steele, Diana Steele, and Tracy Steele, her brother (from another mother), Chuck Kraining, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her roommate, Mary, her mother and father, brothers Rodney, Calvin, and Steven Steele, as well as her sister Brenda Steele.

A Celebration of her Life will be held in Yakima at a later date.