Obituaries

Beatrice Selig
B: 1923-07-23
D: 2024-03-26
View Details
Selig, Beatrice
Angelo Valle
B: 1922-09-05
D: 2024-03-26
View Details
Valle, Angelo
Virginia Mulder
B: 1932-09-21
D: 2024-03-25
View Details
Mulder, Virginia
Valmore Cloutier
B: 1961-07-21
D: 2024-03-23
View Details
Cloutier, Valmore
James Bona
B: 1941-09-27
D: 2024-03-21
View Details
Bona, James
Brenda Girard
B: 1965-04-21
D: 2024-03-21
View Details
Girard, Brenda
Ewald Berger
B: 1938-01-22
D: 2024-03-21
View Details
Berger, Ewald
Carole Cote
B: 1942-12-05
D: 2024-03-19
View Details
Cote, Carole
Raymond Felix
B: 1943-04-21
D: 2024-03-19
View Details
Felix, Raymond
John Sinopoli
B: 1934-06-25
D: 2024-03-17
View Details
Sinopoli, John
Jesse Waldinger
B: 1947-03-02
D: 2024-03-16
View Details
Waldinger, Jesse
Natalie Mazzuchi
B: 1925-12-02
D: 2024-03-15
View Details
Mazzuchi, Natalie
Gerad Young
B: 1980-10-15
D: 2024-03-14
View Details
Young, Gerad
Anna Rosse
B: 1928-07-07
D: 2024-03-08
View Details
Rosse, Anna
Carolyn Marshall
B: 1930-12-19
D: 2024-03-08
View Details
Marshall, Carolyn
Gary Albert
B: 1943-07-16
D: 2024-03-06
View Details
Albert, Gary
William Cote
B: 1940-06-24
D: 2024-03-02
View Details
Cote, William
Lynn Hall
B: 1953-02-14
D: 2024-03-01
View Details
Hall, Lynn
Kenneth Cunniff
B: 1942-02-06
D: 2024-02-27
View Details
Cunniff, Kenneth
Mary Therrien
B: 1939-11-25
D: 2024-02-26
View Details
Therrien, Mary
Sherrill McGowan
B: 1947-03-30
D: 2024-02-25
View Details
McGowan, Sherrill

Search

Use the form above to find your loved one. You can search using the name of your loved one, or any family name for current or past services entrusted to our firm.

Click here to view all obituaries
Search Obituaries
521 West Main St
NORTH ADAMS, MA 01247
Phone: (413) 663-6523
Fax:
About An Amazing Life|Help

William Warren "Bill"
Steel

July 23, 1916 – February 28, 2017

William Steel
"We are honored to provide this Book of Memories to the family."
— Flynn & Dagnoli-Montagna Home for Funerals-Central Chapel

Obituary for William Warren "Bill" Steel

William (Bill) Warren Steel, age 100, died at his home in Williamstown, Massachusetts on February 28th. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 23, 1916 to Marion Warren Steel and Sanger Bright Steel.

He attended Francis Parker School in Chicago and graduated in 1933 from Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts, and in 1937 from Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts. He earned a M.Ed. in 1938 from the Graduate Teachers College in Winnetka, Illinois, where he met Miriam (Mim) Fetcher. They were married on June 22, 1940, at her family’s summer home, Forest Lodge, near Traverse City, Michigan.

From 1938-43, he taught at the St. Petersburg Country Day School in St. Petersburg, Florida; the Windward School, White Plains, New York; and the Landon School for Boys, Bethesda, Maryland. After two years as a personnel counselor at the Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he spent a year as a Corporal in the U.S. Army at Fort Sheridan, Lake County, Illinois. He then taught at North Shore Country Day School (NSCDS) in Winnetka, Illinois from 1946 to 1966.

Teaching was his passion, particularly challenging students (and family!) to think critically. He discovered this passion and talent when he tutored another student in Latin at Williams. Until the day he died he shared his love of learning with those he met. Hundreds of students loved him and they continued to let him know that he had had a lasting impact on their lives. He was able to reach students whom other teachers could not. He said, “Those that are hardest to love are those who need loving the most.”

In addition to his love of teaching, he was known in the classroom and among family and friends for his love of life and sense of humor—particularly his groan-inducing puns. He loved to challenge conventional thinking in light-hearted ways such as walking around Leland barefoot, using a six-inch putter, skiing without poles and whistling as he walked.

From 1947 through 2013, the family spent summers in Leland, Michigan where Bill had summered in the 1930s with his brothers – all avid golfers. At age 90, he “beat his age” with a score of 88 at the Leland Country Club. He was also an accomplished sailor, winning the National One-Design World Championship in 1961 and 1969. He taught many young sailors in Leland, and helped sustain the National One-Design class on Lake Leelanau as well as nationwide as Commodore of the National One-Design Racing Association, with Mim as Secretary-Treasurer.

Bill and Mim loved the outdoors and exploring new places. They often travelled to Europe where he would satisfy his love of castles and practice his French. They also went to Africa and New Zealand. He made yearly trips to Colorado to ski after he learned to ski at 40 into his early 90s.

In 1966, they moved to Williamstown, Massachusetts, where he taught at the Pine Cobble School and at the Curriculum Workshop in Bennington, Vermont. After retiring in 1991, he volunteered for 20 years (until age 95) as a full-time tutor at Mt. Greylock Regional High School in Williamstown, for which he received the Bob Rose Community Volunteer Award in 1998 and was recognized in 2012 by the School Committee for his service and dedication to making students “want to learn.”

His wife, Miriam, died in September, 2016, a few months after they celebrated 76 years of marriage. His younger brothers, Munro and Sanger, died in 1979 and 1983, respectively. He is survived by his son William (Biff) and wife Adwoa of Accra, Ghana, and his daughter Polly (Nicki) of Wilmington, Vermont; his grandchildren Anim and wife Sarita of Brooklyn, New York, and Melissa King and husband John of Takoma Park, Maryland; his two great-grandchildren, Amina and Mireya King of Takoma Park; and many nieces and nephews, who were always an important part of his life.

The family would like to give special thanks to the loving caregivers from Home Instead and Sweetwood and the supportive nurses from Hospice of Western Massachusetts.

He requested that no formal service be held, but there will be a Celebration of Lives Well Lived for him and Mim on July 8th, 2017, at their cottage in Leland. Remembrances may be sent to Nicki Steel, 117 White’s Road, Wilmington, Vermont 05363. Should anyone wish, donations in his name may be sent to The Leelanau Conservancy, PO Box 1007, Leland, Michigan 49654.