Capt. Joshua E. 'Josh' Steele

1980-2007

Friday, June 22, 2007

1980-2007

NORTH HENDERSON - Capt. Joshua Eric "Josh" Steele, 26, North Henderson, died Sunday (June 17, 2007) near Panjway, Afghanistan, when the Humvee in which he was a passenger detonated an improvised explosive device.

He was born July 8, 1980, in Galesburg, the son of R. Philip and Paula Weir Steele.

Surviving are his parents of North Henderson; a brother, Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Stephen (and Christine) Steele of Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.; two sisters, Gina Steele, San Francisco, Calif., and Army 1st Lt. Lucinda (and Nicholas) Piotrowski, Fort Sill, Okla.; his grandparents, Harold and Madonna Steele, Sherwood, Ohio; and four nieces, Stephanie, Heather and Courtney Steele, and Abigail Piotrowski. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Paul and Dixie Weir, and a nephew, Jason Steele.

He was raised on a farm near North Henderson and attended Immaculate Conception Parochial School in Monmouth and Alexis High School. After graduating from high school at Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Mo., in 1998, he received his degree in geological engineering from the University of Missouri at Rolla magna cum laude in 2002 where he was a member of the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity and the Society of Military Engineers.

He was commissioned in the Army in 2002 and was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., assigned to the 5th and later the 35th Engineering Battalion. He was previously deployed in Iraq and the Republic of Georgia before being sent to Afghanistan in January 2007.

He enjoyed geological pursuits as well as raising and showing swine, horseback riding, hunting and life on the farm.

He was of Catholic faith. He was a member of the 4-H and FFA in Alexis; Civil Air Patrol in Galesburg; and was vice president of his junior class in high school.

Service will be at 10 a.m. Monday in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Monmouth, with the Rev. Christopher Haake officiating, assisted by Revs. Michael Monclova, John Thieryoung and Stanislaus Mutajwaha. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the United North Fieldhouse, 101 North Holloway, Alexis, with Recitation of the rosary at 7:30 p.m. Burial will be in St. John's Catholic Cemetery, near Woodhull. Hurd-Hendricks Funeral Home and Crematory, Knoxville, is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to the Army Fisher Houses or the Bukoba Tanzania Diocese Education Initiative for the (Kwauso) Secondary School.

Online condolences may be made at www.hurd-hendricksfuneralhome.com.