Birth date: Dec 17, 1946 Death date: Oct 2, 2016
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Donald Steele was born December 17, 1946, to Lewis M. Steele and Annie M. Steele in Nashville, TN. He joined the Church Triumphant October 2, 2016. A celebration of his life and of witness to the resurrection will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton, TN at 11 am, Friday, October 7, with visitation at the church Thursday, October 6 from 5-7 pm and again for an hour before the service Friday. He was preceded in death by his parents; one infant brother; and his nephew, Alexander Lewis Steele. He is survived by his brother Lewis M. Steele, Jr. and his wife Ann Labounsky Steele of Pittsburgh, PA; his former wife Cynthia Gladney Steele and their son Davidson Macdonald Steele of Homer, LA; his longtime companion Jeffrey Watkins of Elizabethton, TN, two nieces Elizabeth Ann Connolly and husband Mike of Pittsburgh, PA and their sons Patrick, Jack and Ian; and Claire Janeway LeBeau and her husband Herb and their son Logan of Seattle, WA.; as well as a multitude of extended Steele, Macdonald and Gladney relatives and friends around the globe. Don was a graduate of Battle Ground Academy, Franklin, TN and received his BA with honors from Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College), the M. Div. and D. Min. from Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA, M. Theo. as the first Protestant graduate from Maryknoll School of Theology in New York, and the PhD. from University of California at Berkeley and the San Francisco Theological Seminary. He also did chaplaincy work in Omaha, NE, Williamsburg, VA, and San Francisco, CA. During his college and seminary days he served the First Presbyterian Church of Corinth, MS, the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Austin, MN and First Presbyterian Church in Memphis, TN. Don was ordained to the parish ministry at the First Presbyterian Church of Hinton, WVA, and then served as pastor of the Spencer, WVA Presbyterian Church while also being the Coordinator of the Coalition for Appalachian Ministry and the Commission on Religion in Appalachia and as Special Presbyter for Appalachian Ministry for Greenbrier Presbytery. He was pastor also of the Ruffner Presbyterian Church in Charleston, WVA before serving as the director of the Presbyterian Church (USA) World Hunger Program in Atlanta, GA. He taught at the Franciscan Theological Seminary in Berkeley, and was Dean of the Dr. of Ministry graduate program at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago before moving to Gallup, NM to be pastor of the Presbyterian church there. Failing health forced him to take an early retirement. He then volunteered his services at the Sixth Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA and the First Presbyterian Church in Elizabethton, TN.Don was the personification of the saying “There is nothing so strong as gentleness and nothing so gentle as real strength.” He was proud of his roots as a Scottish Presbyterian but worked throughout his ministry for ecumenical unity. A son of the South, he worked tirelessly for the dispossessed there and around the world. He was a devoted son, brother, husband, father and friend. Those wishing to make a memorial should support those causes Don served to promote peace, equality and human rights. Among these are PFLAG, Presbyterian Hunger Program, the Southern Poverty Law Center as well as ministries of the Presbyterian Church in Elizabethton, TN such as Assisted Resource Ministry (ARM), Shepherds Inn and Food for the Multitudes. Online condolences may be sent to the family and viewed by visiting our website at www.hathawaypercy.com. Hathaway-Percy Funeral and Cremation Services is assisting the Steele family. Office: (423) 543-5544Read Obituary
Don was one of my first students at Maryknoll. And he received me with grace and respect, despite the fact that I was just starting out and I differed in faith as a Jew. I have posted a longer remembrance on my FB page. Don was a blessing to me. RIP.
I was flipping through the Union Presbyterian Seminary magazine this evening and discovered -- 14 months after the fact -- that dear Don had entered the Church Triumphant. Don co-officiated my marriage in '94 to my now-former wife, preached at my pastoral ordination service in '95, and was a dear & trusted friend whom I sadly lost touch with this past year-plus. At the end of 1994, he asked me to preach at his church in Elizabethton, and I was delighted that weekend to drive down from MD with my sweetheart Rosa and be his & Jeffrey's guest.
Don was *the* reason my (at the time) 70-year-old Southern Presbyterian mother became an ally for LGBTQ justice in the pastorate. It happened when she discovered that he was gay. I shared this with him -- and it moved & gratified him greatly.
As a mutual friend once said about Don, "Your mother could have just died, and you would be 100 yards from Don in the airport -- not having ever met one another -- and Don would somehow find out and be by your side."
Don was a deep friend. I am saddened I fell out of touch the last year-plus.
Jeffrey, Davidson: My heart goes out to you both.
Rev. Chuck Booker
Pastor, Bethesda (MD) Presbyterian Church
My husband and I believe Pastor Don was led to our small Gallup, NM Presbyterian Church in part for our 32-year old son Greg. They connected immediately, watched a Super Bowl together as well as shared some other moments. Several months later when our son accompanied his fiance to Tucson to have some dental work, our son entered the hospital with a sudden spike in temperature, and it was determined his 9-year old double-lung transplant was in rejection. Pastor Don made the 6-hour drive twice with dear Jeffrey to marry our son in the Tucson hospital 3-weeks before he passed away and during his last hospitalization just before entering hospice. It was a stressful time as this was happening out of our familiar surroundings, church, and friends in Gallup.
Although our son had great faith and was a fighter throughout his many years with Cystic Fibrosis, as he neared the end of his life journey, Greg was understandably experiencing some anxiety. Pastor Don sat with Greg privately for hours into the late night listening, answering religious questions, sharing his spiritual faith with conviction, and most important, reassuring Greg with his calm presence and gentle wisdom of God's great grace and mercy. Although Greg was surrounded by many Christians, no one could have fulfilled the need in the ways our son needed than Pastor Don. And, of course, Pastor Don presented a beautiful message at our son's memorial service in Gallup.
Even in the less than one year time that Pastor Don was in our son's life, his impact on our family touched our lives significantly and memorably. He was a dear gentle giant who is now in his deserved place in the "Triumphant Church"!.
Ed and Judy Allen
With memories of Southwestern and Hinton - wishing his loved ones comfort and peace remembering a life of service well-lived.
To all of you who loved Don,
He may be gone in body, but certainly he lives on in spirit. I'll always be grateful for the way Don took me under his wing my freshman year at Southwestern (Rhodes College), looking after Aaron's little sister. He always made me laugh because he was always laughing, always running, always late. I was happy to have had a nice visit with Don and Cynthia at Rhodes' Homecoming in 2013, but sorry to learn of his fragile health. My memory of him will be his constant focus on others. May your happy memories of Don be your comfort.
With love,
Frances Foster
Jeffrey, Steels, and Gladneys,
I am so sorry to hear about Don. What a character he always was. I remember so many hours spent in Bellingrath Hall solving the problems of everyone else while Don's studies waited. Without exception he always put everyone else before himself. He was a special friend. After graduation we sort of lost touch, but when we did see each other it was like we had not been apart at all. Cynthia and the Gladney clan kept us updated on each other. I will surely miss him and already feel the void. Much love to each of you.
Aaron Foster
Don was a great and true friend to Mike and I. He guided us through and performed our marriage; he made it very special and memorable. Overall, he was a blessing to many and he will be terribly missed. My condolences to Jeffrey and his family, you are in our prayers.
Tina and Mike Mitchell
No other person has had a greater impact on my life than Don Steele. Who I am today, all the blessings my family has enjoyed in the U.S. for the past 35 years, whatever we may have achieved in this country and the service were were able to provide to others are the direct result of his gentle, compassionate action. Don’s friendship, steadfast love, and pastoral care remained a touchstone in my life through my journey in this country. His unconditional inclusive way of accepting and affirming all those whom he met continues to guide me as a human being and as a minister. Throughout his life, Don personified the words of the prophet Isaiah, ‘The Lord has given me words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary’ (50:4). Aline, Gui, and I join Jeffrey, Lewis, Ann, Cynthia, Davidson, Elizabeth and Claire and their respective families in our sorrow for his loss and in deep gratitude for his life and for his many gifts. Keo Cavalcanti
I am so sad to learn of Don's death. He was a good friend at Southwestern -- that is Rhodes College. I have not seen him for many years, but am amazed at reading of his accomplishments and his continuing kindness of life. My condolences to all of his families.
Tom Teasley
