Obituary of Cecil T. Steele

GOUVERNEUR – Cecil T. Steele, age 94, of Gouverneur, passed away on June 20, 2021 at Samaritan Keep Home in Watertown after a brief stay there, having been transferred from Gouverneur Hospital Calling hours will be held at French Funeral Home in Gouverneur on Saturday, June 26, 2021 from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. followed by his funeral service at 1:00 p.m. Burial with military honors will be in Spragueville Cemetery. Condolences, photos, and memories may be shared online at www.frenchfuneralhomes.com. Cecil was born on August 20, 1926 in Gouverneur to the late Harry C. and Nannie (Liscum) Steele. He attended Gouverneur Central School and earned his GED in 1967. Cecil served in the United States Marine Corps from August 10, 1944 until his honorable discharge on August 19, 1946. He had served in the occupation of Japan during WWII. He married Lois Drumb on April 25, 1948 at the Gouverneur Methodist parsonage by Rev. Harold Thomas. He and Lois have been married for 73 years. As a young boy, Cecil worked for his uncle's company, the Better Ice Cream Co, later named Frost Kist, in Gouverneur, delivering ice. As an adult, Cecil worked for the Natural Dam Paper Mill for a few years, Gouverneur Auto Parts, and retired from Gouverneur Talc as the Mill Maintenance Foreman after 14 years of work there. Cecil was very involved in the Boy Scouts of America. He was a Life Scout, a Scout Master, and served on the Counsel for many years. His honors include the Scouter Award, Scouter's Key, Silver Beaver and Cross & Flame. He was also integral in the Spragueville Methodist Church, having served as Trustee, Treasurer, lay speaker, maintenance man and lawn care. He was also on the Finance Committee for the Methodist Conference. He was on the Gouverneur School Board and was Supervisor for the Town of Rossie. Cecil also was an outdoorsman who loved to garden, hunt, and fish. It was important to him to have his family home every night for dinner and loved big family dinners, family trips and camping. He used to love taking his grandkids back in the woods, have a fire, and cook soup or foil dinners. His survivors include his wife, Lois Steele, four children, Christopher and Liz Steele, Ellen Steele, Peggy Steele, and Nan and Denis LaParr, 12 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his sister, Elizabeth "Betty" Whitbeck. Donations in memory of Cecil may be made to the Spragueville United Methodist Church, PO Box 31, Antwerp NY 13608.