JoAnn Steel

JoAnn Steel, 81, passed away on Wednesday, September 22, 2010.

JoAnn was born July 6, 1929, in Glendale, California, to Lawrence L. and Pearl Scoles, and was the second of their three daughters. Mr. Scoles’ career with Superior Oil Company kept the family on the move. The family lived in Compton, Ventura, Glendale, and Bakersfield, California; Lafayette, Jennings, and Grosse Tete, Louisiana; Lander, Wyoming; Jasper, Alabama; and Conroe, Yorktown, and Columbus, Texas. JoAnn was a cheerleader at Columbus High School, and graduated in 1946.

Music was her life’s passion, and she was awarded a scholarship to Mary Hardin Baylor for her talents in voice. After attending MHB for a year, she continued her college education at Mississippi Southern College. In the fall of her junior year, she moved to Hollywood, CA, to study modeling at the Carolyn Leonetti School. She worked for ABC radio for a year while in Hollywood, singing on both radio and TV. She returned to Texas where she worked for KSIJ radio in Gladewater. She returned to college to complete her Bachelor of Arts degree as a voice major at Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth. She was a member of Alpha Psi Omega sorority, Future Teachers of America, Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity for Women, and the Wesleyan Singers. She was also active in the TWC and Fort Worth Community Theatre. She served as the school’s representative to the Fort Worth Theatre Council. One of her fondest memories was having played the lead role in the TWC drama production of Finian’s Rainbow. Following graduation JoAnn taught music at Stripling Junior High in Fort Worth.

On June 9, 1956, JoAnn married Chester Ralph Steel in Sinton, Texas. Mr. Steel spent his career as a Petroleum Engineer for Phillips Petroleum affording JoAnn the opportunity to continue to follow the development of the North American oilfields. The couple settled briefly in Oklahoma City before moving to Calgary, Alberta, Canada where they lived for four years. They spent two and a half years in Guymon, Oklahoma before moving to Odessa in July, 1963. They lived here until June, 1967, and then spent 2 years in Santa Barbara, California before returning to Odessa for good in November 1969. JoAnn served as a substitute teacher in California and Odessa. Odessa became the family home and no further opportunities to move were considered.

JoAnn was extremely active in Odessa civics and culture. She was named Woman of the Year, 1978, by the Ector County Republican Party Women’s Club. She served as Chairman of the Ector County Republican Party from1979-1982. She served as a delegate to the State Convention in 1980 and attended the Presidential Inauguration in 1985. In 1979, John Ben Shepperd hired JoAnn to serve as Director of the Odessa Cultural Council (OCC), a position she held until retiring in 1994. She ran the organization out of the “trunk of her car” in the early days, moving through a series of temporary offices, until finally settling into more permanent accommodations at Odessa College. Under her tenure, the OCC took major strides, including securing stable funding from the city’s hotel/motel tax to the fullest extent allowed by state law. The OCC used the funds to promote the Arts through various organizations, venues, and mediums throughout the city. She also implemented several granting and advertising programs for the council, and received Annual Communications Awards from Texas Press Women’s Inc for her work. The OCC has since evolved into the Odessa Council for the Arts and Humanities.

JoAnn completed the Leadership Odessa program in 1985. She served on the Texas Arts Council Advisory Board and is a past regional chairman of the West Texas District. She brought the TAC State Conference and Booking Exchange to Odessa in 1985. She was a member of the Odessa Music Study Club and Tuesday Morning Music and Arts Club. She served as Treasurer of District 9 of the Texas Federation of Music Clubs and was active in presentations at the state, regional, and local levels.

She was a founding member of the Odessa PRO unit of the Convention and Visitors Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce. She was also a member of the Dusty Dollies singing group, performing over 100 appearances for local events, organizations, and retirement homes. JoAnn also performed as a soloist for numerous area churches and most recently was a member of First Christian Church. She also served as Treasurer for Saint John's Episcopal Retirement Corporation, Seabury Center.

JoAnn was preceded in death by her parents and younger sister Carol Howland of Houston. Her husband Chester passed away in 1983 in Odessa. She is survived by her elder sister Mary Jayne Dowling of Denver, CO; daughter Jayne Diamond of Bishop, CA; sons Alan Steel and wife Vicki of Manor, TX and Kelvin Steel and wife Dawn of Florissant, CO; three grandsons, Martin, Travis, and Chase and one granddaughter, Kelly. She is also survived by 6 nieces and nephews and their families.

There will be a visitation from 3 – 5 pm. Sunday September 26, 2010, at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home.

The funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm Monday, September 27, 2010 at the Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home in Odessa. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens.

If preferred, in lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Tuesday Morning Music and Arts Club Scholarship Fund, Carol Peters treasurer, 8740 Cornell Ave, Odessa, TX 79765, or the Alzheimer’s Association.

Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home.