Kenneth Leroy Steele, 95, of Redding passed away Thursday January 30, 2020. Kenny had a beautiful soul and was a loving and caring brother, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great- grandfather. He was born November 16, 1924 in Emerson Nebraska, to his father Victor and his mother Gertrude. Kenny had four brothers, Clyde who was 95 at the time of his death in 2018; Harold 92 (living); Virgil 91 (living) and Stanley who was 82 at the time of his death in 2007. His father died in 1934 at the age of 35 and his mother died in 1938. The five boys were separated and sent to live with different relatives following their deaths.
Kenny lived with Earl and Amy Steele, in Emerson Neb until he moved to California to see his brother Hank (Harold). Both of them joined to Army. Kenny was a paratrooper in WWII. As WWII ended, Kenny saw a notice about serving in Japan and he applied. He was discharged from the service in December of 1946 and lived in California. His brother Hank had lived with a family in Inwood, Ca helping a rancher Homer Lovelett (prior to enlisting). Hank and Kenny return to visit the Loveletts, and Kenny met his future wife, Beverley Lovelett. They were married June 21, 1948. They had five children: Richard (spouse Karen), Linda Langley (spouse Corkey), Dennis (spouse Mary), Kenneth David (spouse Sandy) and Nancy Patterson (spouse Dennis). He worked as a timber faller for over 40 years in Shasta County or nearby counties. Together Bev and Kenny raised their five children in Redding. Beverley died in 2007 after 59 years of marriage and a long illness. Kenny took care of Beverely for 10 years, following multiple brain surgeries.
Kenny was known for being able to do 100 one-armed pushups until he was 85 years old. Kenny was a kind and loving man who was respected by everyone who knew him. He loved to hunt turkeys, read non-fiction books and talk politics and theology.
He is survived by his brothers, Harold “Hank” and Virgil, and his five children (listed above), and 12 grandchildren Tanya (Langley) Harter, Amy (Steele) Stemple, Shawn Steele, Josh Langley, Matt Steele, Kevin Steele, Brian Walker, Shelley Walker, Kathryn (Steele) Kimball, Kenneth Leroy II, and Heather Steele, Virgil Patterson and 20 great grandchild and 1 great-great-grandson.
Services to celebrate Kenny’s life will be held at 11:00 on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 2850 Foothill Blvd, with a graveside gathering at Ogburn-Inwood Cemetery at 2:30 pm.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18