Richard Steele

Waynesville, Dr. Richard Harold "Dick" Steele, age 92, of Denali Lane, passed away on September 26, 2011 at MedWest Haywood Regional Medical Center. A native of Buffalo, New York and resident of New Orleans most of his life, he had resided in Waynesville for the past four years. He was the son of the late Henry Goss Steele and Mary Gail Newton and was also preceded in death by a sister, Harriet Elaine Steele and one brother, Dr. Hugh Gene Steele. A US Army veteran, he served during World War II. Dick was a graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in microbiology and received his PhD in 1953 from Tulane University. He was a professor of biochemistry at Tulane University Medical School from 1953 to 1990 and was named Professor Emeritus in 1990. Dick had a deep love for his family and enjoyed poetry, Greek literature, football, New Orleans seafood, philosophy, and the universe and science. His research interest was focused on bioluminescence and free radicals. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Iona Wood Steele; one daughter, Dr. Raquel S. Whitcomb and her husband, James H., of San Diego, California; two sons, Dr. Richard H. Steele and his wife, Reina, of Waynesville and Scott D. Steele and his wife, Joye, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and two granddaughters, Tess and Annalise Steele. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 28, 2011 in the Waynesville Chapel of Wells Funeral Home with Reverend Leyton Alan Mears officiating. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. Memorials may be made to the Haywood County Schools Foundation, 1230 North Main Street, Waynesville, NC 28786.

Previous Events