Katherine G. Steele

Longtime Valley resident Katherine G. Steele, 82, died at home in Fairbanks on Oct. 12, 2004. A memorial service for Miss Steele will be held at 7 p.m. Monday,Oct. 18 at First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla, 1375 E. Bogard Road, Wasilla.

Miss Steele was born Dec. 31, 1921 in Santa Rosa, Calif., to Ben and Irma (Slusser) Steele. She graduated from Santa Rosa High School. After high school she attended Dominican College, San Rafael, Calif., from 1940 to 1942. She served in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps and Women’s Army Corps from 1942 to 1946, and was in the Army reserves from 1950 to 1958, obtaining the rank of major.

She received her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in January 1951. She taught school in Springdale, Ark., from 1951 to 1955.

Miss Steele came to Alaska in July 1955 to teach. She taught for the Palmer Independent School District and later for the Mat-Su Borough School District. She retired in 1977.

Miss Steele was a member of AARP, American Legion Post #15 in Palmer, and Pioneers of Alaska Igloo No. 31, Auxiliary #11 of Palmer. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla. She enjoyed hunting and fishing.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ben and Irma Steele; twin brother, Ben Steele Jr.; older brother, Col. Kenneth Steele and her chosen sister, Elizabeth D. Gaines.

She is survived by her sister, Leone DeLong of Crescent City, Calif.; sister-in-law, Joy Steele of Santa Rosa, Calif., 10 nieces and nephews; 14 grand-nieces and nephews and two great-grandnephews. She is also survived by her adopted family, Don and Hannah Smith; their daughters, Mikki, Kristina, Rebecca and Angela and her husband, Jeremy; her “treasure” caregiver, Vicki Turtle, and her Pomeranian, Duke.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alaska Chapter of the American Lung Association. Arrangements were made by Kehl’s Palmer Mortuary.