Sydney Sue Steele, 90, died Saturday July 6, 2013 at her home surrounded by her loving family.
She was born in Butler PA on November 24, 1922 to Florella Ruth Oesterling and John Lee Shields. Sydney graduated from Brookville High School in 1940 and earned Bachelors and Master’s degrees in Reading Education at Pennsylvania State University and Clarion State College.
During World War II, she served in the US Navy in Philadelphia, as a radio operator, earning the rank of Chief Petty Officer.
After developing the Reading program at the Jefferson County- DuBois Area Vocational Technical School in Reynoldsville, she continued her career as the Reading Coordinator, administering the Federal Title 1 Reading program for the Brookville Area School System.
Sydney traveled with her family on numerous trips around the US (including an exciting and unusual cross-Canada and US motor car trip with her grandmother in the 1930’s!) and later made several foreign excursions with family and friends to locations including Scotland, England and continental Europe.
She was an avid bridge player and reader. Sydney was active in many professional organizations, including the Alpha Delta Kappa Honorary Educators Society for Women, the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees and the Martha V. Conrad Study Club, and served in numerous leadership positions.
As a member of the Brookville Presbyterian Church congregation for over 50 years, she served as a Deacon and a Trustee.
Sydney was preceded in death by her beloved husband Roland Howell Steele, owner of the former Steele Electric Company, mother Florella Ruth Oesterling, father John Lee Shields and brother David Lee Shields .
She is survived by her three children, Jennifer Brooks (husband Bruce) of Austin, Tx, John Steele (wife Margaret) of Rochester, NY, Andrew Steele (wife Claudia) of Hickory, NC; granddaughter Michelle Maxfield of Austin, TX, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation hours are from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday July 10, 2013 and the funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on July 11 at the McKinney Funeral Home, 345 Main St., Brookville, PA, with interment to follow at St. John’s Cemetery, Windy Hill, Rose Twp., Jefferson County, PA.
Memorial gifts can be made to the Rebecca M. Arthur Library, 223 Valley Street, Brookville, PA 15825.
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