Frances McDowell Steele, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama passed away at her home on Sunday, February 1, 2015 at the age of 93. She was born to Willie Octavia Fail Brown and Henry Edward Brown, Jr., in Selma, Alabama on August 12, 1921.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husbands, Capt. Rex Wampler McDowell and Capt. Charles Beckett Steele. She is survived by all four of her sibling, Irma Brown Goldsmith of Fullerton, California, Kenneth Edward Brown of Atlanta, Georgia, Cherry Brown Marshall of Greenville, South Carolina and Richard Kirkland Brown (Lady Ruth Barner Brown) of Burleson, Texas and her sister-in-law, Marjorie Roll McDowell, of Spokane, Washington. She also is survived by her children, Rex Wampler McDowell (Ellen Rudulph Sellers McDowell) of Dallas, Texas, Carla McDowell of Anchorage, Alaska, and Hollis Sue Steele of Atlanta, Georgia, by her grandchildren, Emily Allen McDowell Cameron (Alexander Martin Cameron)of Portland, Oregon, Virginia Steele (Ginny) McDowell of Dallas, Texas, Mary Susan McDowell of Houston, Texas, Jessica Taylor Elizabeth McDowell of Anchorage, Alaska and Katherine Brown (Kate) McDowell of Dallas, Texas; and by numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
A graveside service for friends and family will be conducted at New Live Oak Cemetery, Selma on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at 1:00 a.m. A Celebration of her life will be conducted at the First Baptist Church of Montgomery at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon with Dr. Jay Wolf officiating and a reception to follow.
Frances met Rex Wampler McDowell, a native of Rockford, Washington, when he was stationed at Craig Air Force Base, and they married February 7, 1945. Frances and Rex moved extensively over the next eight years living in places such as New York, Colorado, Texas, Alabama and Washington. After Rex's death in 1953, Frances returned to Selma with her two young children, where she later met Charles Steele,, a native of Alderson, West Virginia and they married June 24, 1967. They lived in Warner Robbins, Georgia until 1977, when Charles retired from his federal service and they lived in Tehran, Iran while Charles worked for Lockheed. They returned to Montgomery after the Iranian revolution, where they lived together until Charles death in 2002.
Frances was an active tennis player, accomplished pianist and adventurous traveler. She had a big heart for her family, friends and church, and an unwavering faith in God and her Lord Jesus Christ. She graduated from Judson College and remained a lifelong learner with many interest, including history and genealogy.
In the last five yeas of life, Frances was lovingly cared for by Julia Dudley and Pat Dixon along with their team of caregivers. They became part of Frances's family, who are forever grateful for the wonderful life she continued to enjoy, thanks to their constant and attentive support.
The family request that memorial donations be sent to the Caring Center of the First Baptist Church of Montgomery.
(Obituary: White Chapel-Greenwood Funeral Home obituary)
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husbands, Capt. Rex Wampler McDowell and Capt. Charles Beckett Steele. She is survived by all four of her sibling, Irma Brown Goldsmith of Fullerton, California, Kenneth Edward Brown of Atlanta, Georgia, Cherry Brown Marshall of Greenville, South Carolina and Richard Kirkland Brown (Lady Ruth Barner Brown) of Burleson, Texas and her sister-in-law, Marjorie Roll McDowell, of Spokane, Washington. She also is survived by her children, Rex Wampler McDowell (Ellen Rudulph Sellers McDowell) of Dallas, Texas, Carla McDowell of Anchorage, Alaska, and Hollis Sue Steele of Atlanta, Georgia, by her grandchildren, Emily Allen McDowell Cameron (Alexander Martin Cameron)of Portland, Oregon, Virginia Steele (Ginny) McDowell of Dallas, Texas, Mary Susan McDowell of Houston, Texas, Jessica Taylor Elizabeth McDowell of Anchorage, Alaska and Katherine Brown (Kate) McDowell of Dallas, Texas; and by numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
A graveside service for friends and family will be conducted at New Live Oak Cemetery, Selma on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at 1:00 a.m. A Celebration of her life will be conducted at the First Baptist Church of Montgomery at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon with Dr. Jay Wolf officiating and a reception to follow.
Frances met Rex Wampler McDowell, a native of Rockford, Washington, when he was stationed at Craig Air Force Base, and they married February 7, 1945. Frances and Rex moved extensively over the next eight years living in places such as New York, Colorado, Texas, Alabama and Washington. After Rex's death in 1953, Frances returned to Selma with her two young children, where she later met Charles Steele,, a native of Alderson, West Virginia and they married June 24, 1967. They lived in Warner Robbins, Georgia until 1977, when Charles retired from his federal service and they lived in Tehran, Iran while Charles worked for Lockheed. They returned to Montgomery after the Iranian revolution, where they lived together until Charles death in 2002.
Frances was an active tennis player, accomplished pianist and adventurous traveler. She had a big heart for her family, friends and church, and an unwavering faith in God and her Lord Jesus Christ. She graduated from Judson College and remained a lifelong learner with many interest, including history and genealogy.
In the last five yeas of life, Frances was lovingly cared for by Julia Dudley and Pat Dixon along with their team of caregivers. They became part of Frances's family, who are forever grateful for the wonderful life she continued to enjoy, thanks to their constant and attentive support.
The family request that memorial donations be sent to the Caring Center of the First Baptist Church of Montgomery.
(Obituary: White Chapel-Greenwood Funeral Home obituary)
Frances McDowell Steele, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama passed away at her home on Sunday, February 1, 2015 at the age of 93. She was born to Willie Octavia Fail Brown and Henry Edward Brown, Jr., in Selma, Alabama on August 12, 1921.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husbands, Capt. Rex Wampler McDowell and Capt. Charles Beckett Steele. She is survived by all four of her sibling, Irma Brown Goldsmith of Fullerton, California, Kenneth Edward Brown of Atlanta, Georgia, Cherry Brown Marshall of Greenville, South Carolina and Richard Kirkland Brown (Lady Ruth Barner Brown) of Burleson, Texas and her sister-in-law, Marjorie Roll McDowell, of Spokane, Washington. She also is survived by her children, Rex Wampler McDowell (Ellen Rudulph Sellers McDowell) of Dallas, Texas, Carla McDowell of Anchorage, Alaska, and Hollis Sue Steele of Atlanta, Georgia, by her grandchildren, Emily Allen McDowell Cameron (Alexander Martin Cameron)of Portland, Oregon, Virginia Steele (Ginny) McDowell of Dallas, Texas, Mary Susan McDowell of Houston, Texas, Jessica Taylor Elizabeth McDowell of Anchorage, Alaska and Katherine Brown (Kate) McDowell of Dallas, Texas; and by numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
A graveside service for friends and family will be conducted at New Live Oak Cemetery, Selma on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at 1:00 a.m. A Celebration of her life will be conducted at the First Baptist Church of Montgomery at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon with Dr. Jay Wolf officiating and a reception to follow.
Frances met Rex Wampler McDowell, a native of Rockford, Washington, when he was stationed at Craig Air Force Base, and they married February 7, 1945. Frances and Rex moved extensively over the next eight years living in places such as New York, Colorado, Texas, Alabama and Washington. After Rex's death in 1953, Frances returned to Selma with her two young children, where she later met Charles Steele,, a native of Alderson, West Virginia and they married June 24, 1967. They lived in Warner Robbins, Georgia until 1977, when Charles retired from his federal service and they lived in Tehran, Iran while Charles worked for Lockheed. They returned to Montgomery after the Iranian revolution, where they lived together until Charles death in 2002.
Frances was an active tennis player, accomplished pianist and adventurous traveler. She had a big heart for her family, friends and church, and an unwavering faith in God and her Lord Jesus Christ. She graduated from Judson College and remained a lifelong learner with many interest, including history and genealogy.
In the last five yeas of life, Frances was lovingly cared for by Julia Dudley and Pat Dixon along with their team of caregivers. They became part of Frances's family, who are forever grateful for the wonderful life she continued to enjoy, thanks to their constant and attentive support.
The family request that memorial donations be sent to the Caring Center of the First Baptist Church of Montgomery.
(Obituary: White Chapel-Greenwood Funeral Home obituary)
She was preceded in death by her parents and her husbands, Capt. Rex Wampler McDowell and Capt. Charles Beckett Steele. She is survived by all four of her sibling, Irma Brown Goldsmith of Fullerton, California, Kenneth Edward Brown of Atlanta, Georgia, Cherry Brown Marshall of Greenville, South Carolina and Richard Kirkland Brown (Lady Ruth Barner Brown) of Burleson, Texas and her sister-in-law, Marjorie Roll McDowell, of Spokane, Washington. She also is survived by her children, Rex Wampler McDowell (Ellen Rudulph Sellers McDowell) of Dallas, Texas, Carla McDowell of Anchorage, Alaska, and Hollis Sue Steele of Atlanta, Georgia, by her grandchildren, Emily Allen McDowell Cameron (Alexander Martin Cameron)of Portland, Oregon, Virginia Steele (Ginny) McDowell of Dallas, Texas, Mary Susan McDowell of Houston, Texas, Jessica Taylor Elizabeth McDowell of Anchorage, Alaska and Katherine Brown (Kate) McDowell of Dallas, Texas; and by numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
A graveside service for friends and family will be conducted at New Live Oak Cemetery, Selma on Saturday, February 7, 2015 at 1:00 a.m. A Celebration of her life will be conducted at the First Baptist Church of Montgomery at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon with Dr. Jay Wolf officiating and a reception to follow.
Frances met Rex Wampler McDowell, a native of Rockford, Washington, when he was stationed at Craig Air Force Base, and they married February 7, 1945. Frances and Rex moved extensively over the next eight years living in places such as New York, Colorado, Texas, Alabama and Washington. After Rex's death in 1953, Frances returned to Selma with her two young children, where she later met Charles Steele,, a native of Alderson, West Virginia and they married June 24, 1967. They lived in Warner Robbins, Georgia until 1977, when Charles retired from his federal service and they lived in Tehran, Iran while Charles worked for Lockheed. They returned to Montgomery after the Iranian revolution, where they lived together until Charles death in 2002.
Frances was an active tennis player, accomplished pianist and adventurous traveler. She had a big heart for her family, friends and church, and an unwavering faith in God and her Lord Jesus Christ. She graduated from Judson College and remained a lifelong learner with many interest, including history and genealogy.
In the last five yeas of life, Frances was lovingly cared for by Julia Dudley and Pat Dixon along with their team of caregivers. They became part of Frances's family, who are forever grateful for the wonderful life she continued to enjoy, thanks to their constant and attentive support.
The family request that memorial donations be sent to the Caring Center of the First Baptist Church of Montgomery.
(Obituary: White Chapel-Greenwood Funeral Home obituary)
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