Steele

Ronald Cecil Steele, 84, of Slippery Rock, passed away at Butler VA Medical Center on Saturday, June 22, 2024.

Ron was born in Slippery Rock, Butler County, on Oct. 5, 1939, to Wilfred Cecil Steele and Mildred Irene Miller Steele. He married the former Grace Morrow on Dec. 8, 1988. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, and served on the USS O’Hare. Ron worked in the Slippery Rock Borough as a police officer and later became a campus security officer at Slippery Rock University. Ron had retired from SRU, where he served as the institutional fire and safety specialist.

Ron was very active serving the greater Slippery Rock community. Since the age of 17, he was an active member of Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire and Rescue. He was part of the group that started the rescue team. He served as fire chief for over 32 years. His service on borough council began in the 1990s and continued for over 30 years. Ron was a member of Center Presbyterian Church. He managed the equipment for the SRU football team from 2001 until 2022.

He enjoyed Pittsburgh professional sports, SRU athletics and playing golf. He loved spending time with his grandchildren at the football field. He was a member of the Butler County hazmat team and served as president of the Butler County Fire Chiefs Association. He served as a board member for the Butler County Fire Chiefs Association Fire School. Ron drove a school bus for years for the Slippery Rock Area School District. In his younger years, he coached community sports and had signed the articles of incorporation to inaugurate the Slippery Rock Little League. He was a board member and coach of SR Youth Football.

Survivors include his wife, Grace, at home; two daughters, Tracey L. (Joe) Carteret of Southport, N.C. and Heidi J. (Jason) Yeager of Valencia; son, Jeffrey E. (Annessa) Steele of Slippery Rock; two stepdaughters, Kelly A. (John) Barker of Bradenton, Fla., and Kristina A. (Robert) Walk of Queen Creek, Ariz.; two stepsons, Mark S. Vogan of Slippery Rock and Matthew S. (Josie) Vogan of Waterford, Ohio; four grandchildren, Vanessa Platt, Alexandra Steele, Isaac Steele and Tenley Steele; three great-grandchildren; 14 stepgrandchildren; and seven stepgreat-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a son, Brian Ronald, in 1970; brother, Gary L. Steele; and sister, Kathy A. Steele.

STEELE — Family of Ronald Cecil Steele, who died Saturday, June 22, 2024, will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at SMITH FUNERAL HOME, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Center Presbyterian Church, 211 Center St., Slippery Rock, with the Rev. Rusty Stuart presiding.

Interment will be in Slippery Rock Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Slippery Rock Fire and Rescue, 162 Elm St., Slippery Rock, PA 16057.

Please sign the guest book at www.butlereagle.com.