Byron Durwood Steele

Byron Durwood Steele, age 85, of Hagerstown, Maryland, passed away on December 21, 2018 at home after an illness where he was under the care of Hospice of Washington County. Born February 28, 1933 in Bovina, Texas, he was the son of the late Lloyd Steele and Ina Scales Steele Tarpley and the loving husband of Ann Louise Peterson Steele, whom he married 62 years ago. He was a veteran of the United States Army, having served with the White Coats following the Korean War, and retired in 1998 from the Review and Herald Publishing Association in Hagerstown as a graphic designer for 24 years. Previously, he had freelanced in the Washington, D.C. area with clients such as the National Home Builders Association and the Music Educators Association designing layouts for their journal publications. Byron was a member of the Willow Brook Seventh Day Adventist church in Boonsboro, Maryland, where he served as an elder for many years among other capacities. He was a fine artist specializing in water colors and enjoyed photographing birds as well as fishing. Byron was a skilled mechanic and restored old cars. He served at the Hagerstown prisons for 24 years with the prison ministries. Family was so important to him. In addition to his beloved wife, he is survived by two daughters, Dianne Druce (Walt) of Greensboro, North Carolina and Jane Lanning (Jim) of Silver Spring, Maryland; three sons, Russell Steele and Roy Steele of Hagerstown, Maryland, and Jeff Steele (Ronda) of Kensington, Maryland; five grandchildren, Bradley, Bryan, Christopher, Elizabeth and Lela; three great grandchildren, Jed, Amalie and Orion. Byron was preceded in death by a brother, Lloyd (Bob) of Paradise, California and his son-in-law, Walt Druce. A memorial service will be held at the Willow Brook Seventh Day Adventist church, 8916 Mapleville Road, Boonsboro, Maryland, Saturday, December 29, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his behalf to the prison ministries in care of the Willow Brook church or to Doey's House in care of Hospice of Washington County, Hagerstown, Maryland. Arrangements were made by J.L. Davis Funeral Home, Smithsburg, MD, and online condolences may be offered at, www.jldavisfh.com.