Donald Richard Steele

October 27, 1943 – November 17, 2021.

Don was born in Gastonia, North Carolina on October 27, 1943 to Wylie Clarence Steele and Juanita Lovella Steele (nee Bumgardner). Don is survived by his wife Beth Steele (nee Simmons); his four children: Eric Steele (Nancy), Elyssa McGregor (Harry), Emily Franke (Lance), Shannon Fitzgerald (Eric); six grandchildren: Dana McGregor, Riley Fitzgerald, Drew Franke, Meghan McGregor, Jayce Steele, and Kate Franke; sister Norma Jean Holland (Alvin); niece Heather Templeton (David); nephew Zach Holland (Melissa); and countless friends and co-workers. Don was known to his family and close friends as Dude.

It is difficult to encapsulate Don’s remarkable life into words, except to describe him as a modern day Renaissance man. A Renaissance man is an ideal that developed in Renaissance Italy from the notion expressed by one of its most accomplished representatives, Leon Battista Alberti (1404–72), that “a man can do all things if he will.” This ideal embodied the basic tenets of Renaissance humanism, which considered man the center of the universe, limitless in his capacities for development, and led to the notion that men should try to embrace all knowledge and develop their own capacities as fully as possible. This was Dude. His accomplishments spanned many different disciplines, and each was equally remarkable. He guarded nuclear missiles for the US Marine Corps aboard the USS Proteus; he graduated Cum Laude from Appalachian State University with dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Chemistry and Biology. He built ophthalmic lasers, ultrasound machines and developed the first plastic IV bag. Don has been credited with a number of Softgel discoveries and advancements, including the development of the first OTC in a Softgel. He holds numerous patents for his discoveries and has written a book on the process. Don was always curious, determined, confident, brilliant. Dude married his sweetheart, Beth, raised one son and three daughters. Dude was a loyal brother, husband, father, uncle, grandfather, friend. He coached basketball and track, baited hooks, pitched tents, climbed rocks, tended to his bonsai trees and perfected livermush. He was an amazing painter, sculptor and wood worker. He taught everyone around him to work hard, think differently, never quit. He was humble, yet he took pride in everything. “Anything that is worth doing, is worth doing well.” Dude was our Renaissance Man. To us, he was everything.

We have decided to hold a celebration of life in the summer of 2022 so all that have come to know and love Don will have the opportunity to attend and pay their respects.

Due to Don’s never ending loyalty to the US Marine Corps and US Military, in lieu of flowers, please make donations to either the VA or any other military foundation in memory of Donald Richard Steele.