Gertrude Steele
October 16, 1923 ~ March 9, 2006
Our beloved wife, mother and grandmother, Gertrude “Jo” Steele was born on October 16, 1923 to Ivan and Kate Aten in D’Hanis, Texas. She met and married her husband, John C. Steele in 1943, and lived briefly with his parents in Albany, New York while he served in World War II. Jo went home to be with the Lord on March 9, 2006 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease.
Jo made a lasting impression on everyone she met. She was a kind and gracious individual who loved to work crossword puzzles, sew, create quilts, and cheer for her favorite sports teams. She was a member of Concordia Lutheran Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother and sister-in-law, F. E. and Geraldine Aten, and son-in-law Francis Longloy, Jr. She is survived by her husband, John; children, Robert Steele of Minneapolis, Pamela Longloy of Dallas, and Karen (James) Woller of San Antonio, her sister, Louise (Dixon) Madison of Tulsa; four grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces and their families.
Service
There will be a Celebration of Life Memorial Service at Concordia Lutheran Church, 16801 Huebner Road @ Loop 1604, San Antonio, Texas 78258 on Thursday March 16, 2006 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Concordia Lutheran Church Building fund at the address above or (www.concordialutheranchurch.com) or to the American Parkinson Disease Association (www.apdaparkinson.org). To leave a note for the family, go to meadowlawn.net and Select Obituaries.
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Karen, I was sorry to learn of the passing of your mother. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Dear Steele Family, I remember Jo with great fondness. Her sense of humor, her kindness, and her cheerfulness are qualities I will always remember about her. Please know that my sympathies and prayers are with you. Pam Maltsberger Harden
Dear loved ones of my precious friend,Jo, I just want to tell you what a privilege and honor it has been to have Jo as my friend. She has brought joy into my life by just knowing her. I admired her ability to always see the bright side of things and to have such a gentle, sweet spirit. I never knew her to say a mean word about anyone. I remember how happy my husband and I would be when her sweetheart, Jack, would come to our door with a piece of her wonderful apple pie. My goodness, she sure could cook! :-) I will miss her so very much, yet I know I will see her again in the future, and that makes her loss easier for me to bear. Jo was as close to an angel as any woman I’ve ever known. The Lord did a great work when he put her on this earth. There are so many people who are better off just because she touched their lives; either in a large way or in a small way. She was truly a great, humble and lovely lady. God bless each of you as you celebrate her life. What an honor to have had her as your wife, mother, grandmother, or friend. With love to each of you, Joanie Rostedt
Dear Uncle Jack and family, I was greatly saddened to hear of Aunt Jo’s death. While my family and I will be unable to attend the memorial, please know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers.
We are sad to hear of Jo’s passing. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. We are sorry to say that we are unable to attend the day’s celebration of Jo’s life. Love to all. Marlene, Gordon, Tami, Amber, Brianna and Bethany.
To the family of Gertrude Steele and Pam Longloy: I know it is always difficult to lose a love one. Time and life goes on but you will think about Gertude every day. She will always live in your heart and in everyone around you. Sorry for your lost and God bless. Gary Maxwell
To Aunt Jo’s Family and Friends, We were so sad to hear the news about Aunt Jo. We were delighted to see her over the years–at our wedding in Virginia and at our family Fourth of July party in Oklahoma. She kindly made a quilt for our son, Jack (and our other son is named Joe, so we have our own ‘Jack and Joe’!) But I remember being especially touched when she sent us a dozen yellow roses for our wedding. I found this poem and thought that it might provide some comfort to those mourning Aunt Jo, a beautiful rose of Texas. A Rose A rose once grew where all could see it. Sheltered beside a garden wall and as the days passed, it spread its branches straight and tall. Then one day a beam of light showed through and it had spread wide. The rose bent gently toward the warmth, then passed beyond to the other side. Now, you who deeply feel the loss, be comforted. The rose blooms where its beauty is even greater nurtured by God’s own loving care. Author Unknown Although the distance foiled our attempts to be there to celebrate Aunt Jo’s life, our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Karen, So sorry that your mother passed and I would like to extend my condolences to you and your family. God bless.
We were so very sorry to hear the news of Jo’s passing. She was always such a lovely, loving, and happy person to be around. I know she will be missed by all. I feel very fortunate to have known her. Cliff Barnett family
Pam, Karen and Bobby, Your Mother was such a sweet person who loved life and the simplest of things. Every minute I was fortunate to spend with her was so much fun. I never heard “Mother” say unkind thing about any one. I feel so blessed to have known her. I will miss eating junk food and drinking diet coke with her. All my love Lynda Lawernce
Dear Steele Family, My sincere condolences on the passing of your mom. I remember many visits over the years from your mom and dad that were always a joy. She was a lovely, kind lady. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
With Deepest Sympathy, May God, who knows every need and hears every prayer, Watch over you and Bless you with His gentle and loving care. God has a plan for each of us. He called Jo home to rest where she will have peace and share His love and everlasting life near him. God is caring for Jo now. Each time the SUN touches your face, know that God and Jo are with you. Go now, live and cherish the memories Jo gave us. Memories will last forever and lift us up and remind us how she touched our lives. YOU are never alone. God is watching over us all. He will not give us any more than we can handle, even when we feel the most tired and weary. Reach out to God in this time of sorrow and ask for His strength and comfort. His hand is already outreaching to you. My heart is heavy with tears and emotion too. These words have overflowed to express my sincere love and desire to comfort you. I am praying for you and your family. May God Be With You Suzy
Dear Karen and James, We were so sorry to hear about Karen’s Mother passing away. I’m sure that you have many wonderful stories to keep her memory alive. We must believe that Our Lord knows what is best for all of us. We send our love and prayers for all your family, Barbara and Weldon