Noah Duane (Bud) Steele, 76, of Waldoboro, passed to his eternal reward Oct. 1 surrounded by his loving family at home, following a long battle with cancer. Noah was born in Macomb, Ill., March 8, 1934 to J. Clifton and Mabel Lee (Sullivan) Steele. He was raised lovingly by his guardian, Beatrice (Owens) McCoy Whalon.
Noah entered the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War and served with VMA-324, the first of only two Marine Attack Squadrons to circumnavigate the globe aboard a U.S. Navy ship (CVL-48 USS Saipan). He attended Western Illinois University and Old Dominion University. Bud started his computer career with Collins Radio, ITT, SDC-ISI, and retired after 25 years from Computer Sciences Corp. as a Sr. Computer Scientist working on the AEGIS weapon system developed for the U.S. Navy.
He married Bernadette (Curran) Steele in 1981 and they moved to Waldoboro in 1990 where he became very involved with local organizations. He served on the Parish Council and as a Eucharistic Minister at Saint Patrick’s Church; was Past Grand Knight of Knights of Columbus Council 10897; Chaplain of VFW Soule-Shuman Memorial Post 4525; called bingo at Rockland Elks Lodge 1008; and was Past 3rd District AL Commander, Past Lincoln County AL Commander, and a member of American Legion Post 42 in Damariscotta. Bud enjoyed woodworking, traveling, tending his trees, helping veterans, encouraging students, and spending time with his family and friends.
He was predeceased by sisters Patricia (Steele) Krueger and B. Joane (Steele) Price; and brothers, Ronald and Donald Steele.
Bud is survived by his wife Bernadette; sons, Craig Steele and wife Dodie of Onancock, Va. and Earl Steele of Springfield, Ga.; daughter, Michelle Lamontagne of Waldoboro; brothers, Edward McCoy and wife Vera, David McCoy, Bert Whalon and wife Darlene, John Whalon and wife Ann of Macomb, Ill. and Jerry McCoy and wife Donna of Lewistown, Ill.; sisters, Beverly Kreps and husband Don of Galesburg, Ill. and Rose Geer of Gillette, Wyo.; grandchildren, Jason Duane Jonas of Germany; Joshua, Jessica, and Jacob Steele, Kylie and Lexie Lamontagne and Brendan and Shenin Steele; and great-grandson, Noah P. Steele.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Saint Patrick’s Building Fund, P.O. Box 598, Newcastle, ME 04553 or to The Salvation Army, 27 Payne Ave., Rockland, ME 04841.
Memorial mass 11 a.m., Mon., Oct. 11 at Saint Patrick’s Church, Newcastle.
Arrangements are under the direction and care of Smeltzer Family Cremation & Funeral Service, 1416 Atlantic Highway, Waldoboro.
