Raymond Steele

Raymond Steele, of Warner Robins, Georgia, husband of Carolyn Marie Tucker Steele died Feb. 16, 2019. All services are private.

Raymond was born April 15, 1935 in Chauncey, Georgia. He served in the Army National Guard and retired from Civil Service at Warner Robins Air Force Base.

He is survived by his wife, Carolyn Steele; three children, Gary Steele (Lisa) of Roswell, GA; Larry Steele (Betti Jo) of Johns Creek, GA and Julie S. Tonks (Neal) of Charleston, SC; sister, Millie Brown of Atlanta, GA; five grandchildren, Kate Geerlings (Jacob), Melissa Oh (Richie), Laura Marie Raffield (Taylor), Emily Tonks and William Tonks; and three great-grandchildren, Eleanor Marie Raffield, Joanna Geerlings and Emmalynn Oh.

Memorials may be made to 'Issues & Answers' c/o Centerville United Methodist Church, 600 N. Houston Lake Blvd, Centerville, GA. 31028.
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Eulogy Presented at Raymond's Funeral Service

Raymond Steele was born in Chauncey, a very small town in Dodge County, in middle Georgia. Before he arrived on April 15th, 1935… His father, James Hugh Steele and his Mother Mary Isabell Taylor Steele …had been busy with three older brothers: Bo, Jerrell and Herman (his 'slightly older' partner-in-crime) who together, worked in bowling alleys and drugstores while growing up. Soon enough his sister Millie came along… and much later his last brother… Edwin or 'Eddie Boy' as everyone knew him. Through the years, his family exhibited a gregarious mix of life-loving, generous people with a penchant for humor and sound poker playing skills! While still in his teens, Raymond's whole family moved to Warner Robins, GA where many began working on Robins Air Force base… him included, while still in his early teens.

In fact, ever anxious… he was only 16 when he met a visiting gal from Florida, Carolyn, where he was smitten by her in a purple Janzen swimsuit. A whirlwind courtship ensued, under the watchful eye of her cousin Frances. With special permission from both their parents… Carolyn age 16 and Raymond age 17 were married August 25, 1952, kicking off over 60 years of marriage... 'some of them pretty good', Raymond would often say. The young couple wasted no time starting a family… and just under 2 years later, had Gary Raymond on August 11, 1954. Trying to improve on this rough start building a family, Larry Lloyd came just under three years later. And finally getting it done with a girl, Julie Marie in 1962… the core family was complete. Ever the patriot, he also simultaneously served for 8 years in the Army National Guard. Through the same period, while holding down his full-time job on the base, he dabbled in entrepreneurship by starting Steele Sanitation, a garbage and septic service, … selling Hamilton Mutual Funds and Steele Sauna Baths …and finally, Steele Custom Framing at his house, with his wife as his partner.

With plenty to pray about… Church was important, and The Steele's were founding members of the United Methodist Church of Centerville with members including his life-long friend Sonny Watson. With two boys, he even became the Scoutmaster for the local Boy Scout Troop 120. The years flew by as the family grew up, going to college, and then the kids began marrying … Starting with Larry and his hometown girlfriend, Betti Jo Boyette, heading to Atlanta after their college educations. Julie met Neal Tonks at college, moving to Charleston after marriage. Gary met Lisa in Colorado and moved back to Atlanta together and married. Raymond, always in a hurry, retired at only 52 from the Base…. Receiving the highest civilian Meritorious Service Medal awarded by the Government for his outstanding service to his country. With too much energy for just the frame shop, he bought, remodeled and sold himself… dozens of houses. He even helped work on, and give away, houses with Habit for Humanity. Then the grand kids started to come… where it was often heard from Raymond that "They were so much fun, he should have had them first!!"

Larry and BJ had two kids: Katie and Melissa. Julie and Neal had Laura Marie, Emily Jane and the first grandson …William Raymond Neal Tonks. With much of the profit from flipping houses and framing, Raymond and Carolyn took the whole family on many family cruises and vacations … like Alaska, the Caribbean, North Georgia, and South Carolina. Family, Family, Family. Family always came first… but fishing was a close second… and Carolyn learned that early and often. Raymond always enjoyed mixing family, friends and fishing whenever possible. Add a little poker or Liar's Dice and you have the perfect get-together. How sweet it is!! As everyone got older, time seemed to fly… so fast! The grand kids were getting married and having kids themselves. With new adventures in a new home in Charleston, complete with an ever-growing family …. three girls came on the scene… the Great Grand Kids: Laura and Taylor Raffield brought us Eleanor,
Katie and Jacob Geerlings with Joanna, and most recently, Melissa and Richie Oh with Emmalynn. He was always proud of the accomplishments of his children and grand children… their educational and business successes… and personal relationships as well…. often commenting on how 'Nobody gets divorced in our family'… a thinly veiled threat he often wielded with a menacing tone to the unsuspecting newcomers to the family.

Throughout his life, his strong work ethic was supported by an arsenal of sayings, quips and quotes… fortifying, and often infuriating, pretty much everyone around him. Raymond always exhibited a razor-sharp sense of humor… with few filters. Loving to his core, his self-effacing humility was often dramatically juxtaposed by a biting observational perspective that could hold more than a little truth… whether or not you liked it. And though he always held a special place for Warner Robins,
these later years in Charleston were filled with the kindness and caring of many remarkable people …Family, Friends, Caregivers, Doctors … and many, many other unsung heroes in his life. And especially, Chip Boling, who was a daily comfort to him and Carolyn at The Palms. All these amazing people were greatly appreciated. In those later years, as he was challenged by health and age, he often ruminated on his life by saying "He pretty much did what he wanted to do and had lived a good life."

We agree… Let us celebrate a life well-lived.