George Gilbert Steele's Obituary
George Gilbert Steele was born in Dallas, Texas on March 31, 1925 to Earl Frank Steele and Edna Mae Shelton Steele. At a young age, his parents moved the family to west Texas. With his nine siblings, he spent his early life on a farm near Crowell, Texas. As a teenager, he moved to Dallas, Texas and lived with two of his brothers. He graduated from Crozier Tech High School in 1943. Later that year he joined the U. S. Army and served in Iran.After his tour of duty in the army, he returned home to Dallas and decided to take dance lessons, thinking this would be a good way to meet young ladies. His plan worked. While at Arthur Murray Dance Studio, he met Lillie Mach who would soon become his wife. She was his dance instructor. They were married seventy-two years. He was a loving husband and father of five children.His business career began as an employee of Watson Brothers Plumbing Co. He later became a successful entrepreneur: developing several companies involved in plumbing and custom home construction which expanded to commercial construction. Many considered him ‘a self-made man.’ He preferred to be known as a man blessed by God.As a Christian, he was a life-long student of the Bible. He and his wife helped start Town North Baptist Church in the basement of their home. He later constructed the church’s building and served in leadership and Bible teaching for many years. Later the family joined Ridgecrest Baptist Church where he would also serve in leadership and teaching. For the past twenty-six years his church home has been Grace Bible Church.Throughout his fifty ‘plus’ years as a born again believer in Jesus Christ, he and Lil have supported numerous missionaries and Christian organizations. Using his gifts in construction, he made several trips to Nigeria to help construct buildings at Trinity Bible College. One notable trip he took at the age of eighty was to build a concrete water tower to store and provide needed fresh water for the college compound. Not only was he a witness for Christ, but he amazed his younger coworkers by being able to do more work than most of them.On the morning of November 21, 2019, George was enjoying conversation and music being played by a friend from his church. Shortly after his friend’s departure, George went to sleep. The Lord called him home and he now is in the presence of His Lord.He was preceded in death by his son, George Gilbert Steele II and grandson, Jonathan Edward Steele.He is survived by his wife, Lillie, his sister Ruth Goodwin of Crowell, TX, his brother Wayne Steele of Omaha, NE; sons Terry Steele of Herndon, VA, Marvin Steele of Garland, TX, and Eldon Steele of Tyler, TX; daughter, Linda Steele Willis of North Richland Hills, TX; sixteen grandchildren and twenty-six greatgrandchildren.
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