Enia Ann Steele passed away at a convalescent facility in Watsonville just before she was to come home on Thursday, December 22, 2016. She was 87.
Born Carrie Ann Winn to John Winn and Nina Olive Jachor on September 17, 1929 in Lansing, Michigan, Enia grew up near Escanaba, the oldest of five children during the depression. She learned the value of hard work, that anything worth having was worth working for, and "saved for a rainy day" when you had plenty for times you wouldn't have enough.
As a young girl she set rabbit snares that were checked before school. She often said "if it wasn't for the rabbits and rutabagas we would have starved". The daughter of a woodcutter, she cut and sold timber at an early age alongside her sister, Betty and brother, Tommy. Two other siblings, Nina and Bobby, died as young children. The family traveled out west where her father hoped to find work in the shipyards during the war. She was badly burned in a car accident but recovered completely.
After leaving home young she worked as a house cleaner, orderly in a hospital and in a laundry mat in Washington County, Arkansas. She met her husband, Charles Steele from Elm Springs, on a blind date. They married in Centerton, Arkansas on July 29, 1950 and moved to California on a promise of work and a place to stay with relatives.
They found work in the apple industry in Watsonville and had three children: Dale, Dorothy, and John. Enia worked full time, maintained a house and raised three children. She worked 27 years at Del Mar Foods and earlier at Green Giant, JNS, Mann's Packing and Buak's Apple, joining General Teamsters Union Local 912 in April 1955.
Enia enjoyed sewing, quilting and gardening in her spare time. She applied her sewing skills to provide many beautiful warm items for others over the years. She had a robust appetite including a sweet tooth but never gained weight. She enjoyed food whether she was cooking, saving leftovers or coupons, finding recipes or watching others make fancy meals she never had. Her body carried her through a life of hard times, work and commitment to raising her family.
Enia enjoyed her freedom and independence. She wouldn't allow her children to provide support but enjoyed seeing them grow up, marry, have three adult children of their own now raising three great grandchildren that all knew and loved her. Her husband died 30 years ago in the same month and she lived alone and managed her home and affairs since then.
She leaves behind a sister, Betty Winn of Chicago, IL ; three children, Dale Thomas Steele of Sacramento, CA; Dorothy Steele Laage of Willcox, AZ; John William Steele of Wilson, NY; three grandchildren, Rowan Thomas Steele of Portland, OR; Elle Kari Steele of Sacramento, CA, and Nathan Alexander Laage of Philadelphia, PA; and three great grandchildren in Oregon and California.
She was preceded in death by her husband Charles Dale Steele, December 29, 1986. She will be buried at the Queen of Heaven cemetery with him. No graveside services are planned. Family and friends will gather on February 4th to celebrate her life.
In lieu of flowers donations are preferred to the Grey Bears, Project Hope, or Second Harvest Food Bank. Mehl’s Colonial Chapel was entrusted with the arrangements.
Posted: Tuesday, Jan 17th, 2017, Register-Pajaronian
Born Carrie Ann Winn to John Winn and Nina Olive Jachor on September 17, 1929 in Lansing, Michigan, Enia grew up near Escanaba, the oldest of five children during the depression. She learned the value of hard work, that anything worth having was worth working for, and "saved for a rainy day" when you had plenty for times you wouldn't have enough.
As a young girl she set rabbit snares that were checked before school. She often said "if it wasn't for the rabbits and rutabagas we would have starved". The daughter of a woodcutter, she cut and sold timber at an early age alongside her sister, Betty and brother, Tommy. Two other siblings, Nina and Bobby, died as young children. The family traveled out west where her father hoped to find work in the shipyards during the war. She was badly burned in a car accident but recovered completely.
After leaving home young she worked as a house cleaner, orderly in a hospital and in a laundry mat in Washington County, Arkansas. She met her husband, Charles Steele from Elm Springs, on a blind date. They married in Centerton, Arkansas on July 29, 1950 and moved to California on a promise of work and a place to stay with relatives.
They found work in the apple industry in Watsonville and had three children: Dale, Dorothy, and John. Enia worked full time, maintained a house and raised three children. She worked 27 years at Del Mar Foods and earlier at Green Giant, JNS, Mann's Packing and Buak's Apple, joining General Teamsters Union Local 912 in April 1955.
Enia enjoyed sewing, quilting and gardening in her spare time. She applied her sewing skills to provide many beautiful warm items for others over the years. She had a robust appetite including a sweet tooth but never gained weight. She enjoyed food whether she was cooking, saving leftovers or coupons, finding recipes or watching others make fancy meals she never had. Her body carried her through a life of hard times, work and commitment to raising her family.
Enia enjoyed her freedom and independence. She wouldn't allow her children to provide support but enjoyed seeing them grow up, marry, have three adult children of their own now raising three great grandchildren that all knew and loved her. Her husband died 30 years ago in the same month and she lived alone and managed her home and affairs since then.
She leaves behind a sister, Betty Winn of Chicago, IL ; three children, Dale Thomas Steele of Sacramento, CA; Dorothy Steele Laage of Willcox, AZ; John William Steele of Wilson, NY; three grandchildren, Rowan Thomas Steele of Portland, OR; Elle Kari Steele of Sacramento, CA, and Nathan Alexander Laage of Philadelphia, PA; and three great grandchildren in Oregon and California.
She was preceded in death by her husband Charles Dale Steele, December 29, 1986. She will be buried at the Queen of Heaven cemetery with him. No graveside services are planned. Family and friends will gather on February 4th to celebrate her life.
In lieu of flowers donations are preferred to the Grey Bears, Project Hope, or Second Harvest Food Bank. Mehl’s Colonial Chapel was entrusted with the arrangements.
Posted: Tuesday, Jan 17th, 2017, Register-Pajaronian
Enia Ann Steele passed away at a convalescent facility in Watsonville just before she was to come home on Thursday, December 22, 2016. She was 87.
Born Carrie Ann Winn to John Winn and Nina Olive Jachor on September 17, 1929 in Lansing, Michigan, Enia grew up near Escanaba, the oldest of five children during the depression. She learned the value of hard work, that anything worth having was worth working for, and "saved for a rainy day" when you had plenty for times you wouldn't have enough.
As a young girl she set rabbit snares that were checked before school. She often said "if it wasn't for the rabbits and rutabagas we would have starved". The daughter of a woodcutter, she cut and sold timber at an early age alongside her sister, Betty and brother, Tommy. Two other siblings, Nina and Bobby, died as young children. The family traveled out west where her father hoped to find work in the shipyards during the war. She was badly burned in a car accident but recovered completely.
After leaving home young she worked as a house cleaner, orderly in a hospital and in a laundry mat in Washington County, Arkansas. She met her husband, Charles Steele from Elm Springs, on a blind date. They married in Centerton, Arkansas on July 29, 1950 and moved to California on a promise of work and a place to stay with relatives.
They found work in the apple industry in Watsonville and had three children: Dale, Dorothy, and John. Enia worked full time, maintained a house and raised three children. She worked 27 years at Del Mar Foods and earlier at Green Giant, JNS, Mann's Packing and Buak's Apple, joining General Teamsters Union Local 912 in April 1955.
Enia enjoyed sewing, quilting and gardening in her spare time. She applied her sewing skills to provide many beautiful warm items for others over the years. She had a robust appetite including a sweet tooth but never gained weight. She enjoyed food whether she was cooking, saving leftovers or coupons, finding recipes or watching others make fancy meals she never had. Her body carried her through a life of hard times, work and commitment to raising her family.
Enia enjoyed her freedom and independence. She wouldn't allow her children to provide support but enjoyed seeing them grow up, marry, have three adult children of their own now raising three great grandchildren that all knew and loved her. Her husband died 30 years ago in the same month and she lived alone and managed her home and affairs since then.
She leaves behind a sister, Betty Winn of Chicago, IL ; three children, Dale Thomas Steele of Sacramento, CA; Dorothy Steele Laage of Willcox, AZ; John William Steele of Wilson, NY; three grandchildren, Rowan Thomas Steele of Portland, OR; Elle Kari Steele of Sacramento, CA, and Nathan Alexander Laage of Philadelphia, PA; and three great grandchildren in Oregon and California.
She was preceded in death by her husband Charles Dale Steele, December 29, 1986. She will be buried at the Queen of Heaven cemetery with him. No graveside services are planned. Family and friends will gather on February 4th to celebrate her life.
In lieu of flowers donations are preferred to the Grey Bears, Project Hope, or Second Harvest Food Bank. Mehl’s Colonial Chapel was entrusted with the arrangements.
Posted: Tuesday, Jan 17th, 2017, Register-Pajaronian
Born Carrie Ann Winn to John Winn and Nina Olive Jachor on September 17, 1929 in Lansing, Michigan, Enia grew up near Escanaba, the oldest of five children during the depression. She learned the value of hard work, that anything worth having was worth working for, and "saved for a rainy day" when you had plenty for times you wouldn't have enough.
As a young girl she set rabbit snares that were checked before school. She often said "if it wasn't for the rabbits and rutabagas we would have starved". The daughter of a woodcutter, she cut and sold timber at an early age alongside her sister, Betty and brother, Tommy. Two other siblings, Nina and Bobby, died as young children. The family traveled out west where her father hoped to find work in the shipyards during the war. She was badly burned in a car accident but recovered completely.
After leaving home young she worked as a house cleaner, orderly in a hospital and in a laundry mat in Washington County, Arkansas. She met her husband, Charles Steele from Elm Springs, on a blind date. They married in Centerton, Arkansas on July 29, 1950 and moved to California on a promise of work and a place to stay with relatives.
They found work in the apple industry in Watsonville and had three children: Dale, Dorothy, and John. Enia worked full time, maintained a house and raised three children. She worked 27 years at Del Mar Foods and earlier at Green Giant, JNS, Mann's Packing and Buak's Apple, joining General Teamsters Union Local 912 in April 1955.
Enia enjoyed sewing, quilting and gardening in her spare time. She applied her sewing skills to provide many beautiful warm items for others over the years. She had a robust appetite including a sweet tooth but never gained weight. She enjoyed food whether she was cooking, saving leftovers or coupons, finding recipes or watching others make fancy meals she never had. Her body carried her through a life of hard times, work and commitment to raising her family.
Enia enjoyed her freedom and independence. She wouldn't allow her children to provide support but enjoyed seeing them grow up, marry, have three adult children of their own now raising three great grandchildren that all knew and loved her. Her husband died 30 years ago in the same month and she lived alone and managed her home and affairs since then.
She leaves behind a sister, Betty Winn of Chicago, IL ; three children, Dale Thomas Steele of Sacramento, CA; Dorothy Steele Laage of Willcox, AZ; John William Steele of Wilson, NY; three grandchildren, Rowan Thomas Steele of Portland, OR; Elle Kari Steele of Sacramento, CA, and Nathan Alexander Laage of Philadelphia, PA; and three great grandchildren in Oregon and California.
She was preceded in death by her husband Charles Dale Steele, December 29, 1986. She will be buried at the Queen of Heaven cemetery with him. No graveside services are planned. Family and friends will gather on February 4th to celebrate her life.
In lieu of flowers donations are preferred to the Grey Bears, Project Hope, or Second Harvest Food Bank. Mehl’s Colonial Chapel was entrusted with the arrangements.
Posted: Tuesday, Jan 17th, 2017, Register-Pajaronian
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