Charlene Wilma Steele

Charlene Steele
1921-2013
Rock Port, Missouri

Charlene Wilma (Jones) Steele was born April 25, 1921, in Oregon, Missouri. She was the daughter of William E. and Myrtle (Bowman) Jones. She passed away Friday, November 8, 2013, at Pleasant View Nursing Home, Rock Port, Missouri, at the age of 92.

She attended Oregon Missouri Public School graduating in 1939. She earned her B.S. degree in Education from Northwest Missouri State University.

On August 29, 1942, she was united in marriage to Robert Steele in St. Joseph, Missouri. They made their home in Corning, Missouri, where Bob worked for CB&Q railroad and she taught school in Nishnabotna, Missouri. They moved to Rock Port, Missouri, in 1945 where Rock Port Market employed Mr. Steele and Charlene was bookkeeper for the Boulware Chevrolet Company. Mrs. Steele taught several years in the Rock Port School system before establishing her private kindergarten from 1964 to 1966 in her home, and then helped organize the class to be integrated into the Rock Port R-II School system. Charlene received the Outstanding Elementary Teacher Award of America in 1974. She taught kindergarten children until retirement in 1986. Bob passed away in July of 1990.

Charlene was a member of the Rock Port United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Friendship Circle, American Legion Auxiliary, Friends of the Atchison County Library, Missouri State Teachers Association and was a former member of the Rock Port CTA.

During Charlene’s retirement, she enjoyed traveling, her church work, her prayer group, scrapbooking and being with friends and family.

Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her sister, Mrs. Russell (Doreen) Simpson; a daughter who died at birth; and great-grandson, Clayton Herron. Charlene is survived by four children, Linda Herron and husband, Russell, Rock Port, Suzanne Klute and husband, Duane, Westboro, Missouri, R.D. Steele and wife, Marissa, St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sharmyn Young, Portland, Oregon; nine grandchildren; and eighteen great-grandchildren.

Funeral Service: 10:30 A.M., Monday, November 11, 2013, United Methodist Church, Rock Port.
Interment: Greenhill Cemetery, Rock Port.
The family will receive friends 5:00-6:00 P.M., Sunday, November 10, 2013, Minter Funeral Chapel, Rock Port.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to United Methodist Church or Atchison County Library, both of Rock Port.
Online obituaries and condolences at www.minterfuneralchapels.com
Services under the direction of Minter Funeral Chapel, Rock Port.