Dan was born to John and Kay Steele on August 19, 1949 in rural Southern Illinois. The second of four children, all over 6’ tall, Dan met his wife Lynn Beare Steele when he was 16. The two met when Lynn was visiting Dan’s then girlfriend in the hospital. Lynn swears she has no idea how it happened but one thing is for sure, she must have been charming because Dan never looked back. (Although he did look down, as Lynn is more than a foot shorter!) They finished growing up together and were best friends ever since.
Dan and Lynn married while at Southern Illinois University where Dan graduated with a BS in forestry in 1971. A year later, the couple joined the Peace Corps and went to Ghana, West Africa. This experience provided them the necessary perspective to endorse their daughter’s Peace Corps adventure to Africa some 30 years later. Dan and Lynn settled in Northern Virginia upon returning to the US.
Dan taught himself computer programming and eventually became an IT project manager, where he had a great impact on the lives of his employees. In work, as in life, he invested in people and helped them grow to their full potential. An introvert, Dan forced himself to join Toastmasters a few years ago. He encountered many people who needed help and always took time to listen, share, and encourage. Invested in the organization and its people, Dan became treasurer last year.
While Dan saw himself as provider he also poured himself into his family emotionally. He took a deep interest in the lives of his three children: Jason, 38, Helen, 35, and Robyn, 31—a counselor, doctor, and pastor respectively. His children recall when he helped them with a backyard theater production. Acting as foley artist, Dan jumped on a roll of bubble wrap every time they needed fireworks! He also played the property man in his children’s play, where his only line was, “Nobody’s supposed to see the property man, so please don’t notice me.” This poignant line speaks volumes about the man he was—someone who preferred to work behind the scenes so others could shine. Dan played a similar role at Columbia Baptist Church, where he attended for 38 years. He provided leadership and mentoring to the audio-visual ministry where he served God and the church by enabling others to sing, share, and speak.
Dan’s deep-seated Christian faith was an integral part of his life. He accepted Christ as a young man after Lynn witnessed to him and was baptized in college a few years later. His foremost dream, for his children to develop a deep, personal relationship with God, came to fruition. Dan knew that they needed to have a foundation in Christ because he would not always be there to provide his wisdom and guidance, which was always rooted in his faith.
Dan’s hobbies were born from his love for nature. As an amateur photographer he loved nature photography. Before his son’s wedding Dan followed the wedding photographer all over Meadowlark Gardens learning about light and shutter speed, and rather than focusing on his soon to be daughter-in-law, Dan’s lens was filled with flora and fauna. As a home gardener, Dan found another way to express his love of nature. He knew nothing about gardening when he started but his desire to fill a space left after felling a tree led to a creative outlet, a deeper understanding of himself, and a sense of emotional and mental equilibrium.
Dan Alden Steele, 63, of Falls Church, Virginia passed away on October 31, 2012. Friends and family will celebrate his life at 2:00 PM on November 10, 2012 at Columbia Baptist Church in Falls Church, Virginia. Visitation will be held from 6-8 PM on November 9, 2012 at Murphy Funeral Home in Falls Church. Memorial contributions may be made to Spend Yourself World Hunger Campaign, c/o Columbia Baptist Church, 103 West Columbia Street, Falls Church, Virginia, 22046.
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