Richard Clayton Steele

On Monday November 25, 2019 Richard Clayton Steele,87,passed peacefully at the VA Liberty Lane Hospice in Salisbury,NC.
With grace, dignity and a great sense of humor, he valiantlyfought a glioblastoma.
Just three months ago he was walking three miles a day at theForum gym and would consistently shoot under his age,playing golf with the GARS. He was a Rock Star. As an
accomplished Master Gardener, he would then come home,and work for hours on his Botanical Gardens.
He is admired, loved and adored by most who met him and,most especially by his family.
He was born in Cabarrus County and graduated from Landis High School. He played on the 1949 YellowJackets Championship Team. He was All-Star Guard First Team and
on the Salisbury Post All-Star Team.

Over the years, he and his
classmates continued to meet for lunches.
After graduation, he served in the US Navy aboard the USS,Yorktown CVA-10 during the Korean War. He received a National Defense Commendation. He played football for the
Naval Base Blue Devils Pacific Champs in Pearl Harbor.

After honorable discharge from the Navy as a QuarterMaster3,
he went to Catawba College and then graduated from
Pheiffer University with a BS in Business Administration.

He worked for 32 years with Hormel Foods and retired as a Regional Manager having set many sales records.
He was a member of the Oasis Shriners,  Masonic Lodge in
Charlotte, NC. He loved to be outdoors and spend time at the lake gardening and watching the wild birds thrive under his
care and encouragement.
Those left to cherish his memory are his loving wife of 64 years, Phyllis Williams Steele. They were high school
sweethearts and have been together 70 years. His adoring daughters Rena Norris and Julie Steele and Ed Norris and
Wendy Waugaman. His granddaughter Ellarie DʼAprix and great-granddaughter Aurora DʼAprix and his niece Tammy Sides. He will be greatly missed by his buddy Lucky. He was
predeceased by twin sons, Richard Clayton Steele, Jr and Dennis Williams Steele.
Visitation and Service: The family will receive friends at Whitleyʼs Funeral Home, 1748 Dale Earnhardt Blvd,Kannapolis, NC on Saturday November 30 at 1 pm followed by
a graveside service at 2 pm at Carolina Memorial Park in Concord.
Memorials: The family requests that no flowers be sent. They request memorial donations be made in Clayton Steeleʼs name to the VA Liberty Lane Hospice, 1601 Brenner Avenue, Salisbury, NC 28144 in order to assist other veterans.