Rev. Addie B. Steele
Funeral services for the late Rev. Addie B. Steele were held on Dec. 31 at 11 a.m. from Oak Grove AME Zion Church. Bro. Christopher Rogers officiated. Burial followed in Oak Grove Cemetery. Hudson Funeral Services, Greenville directed.
Rev. Addie B. Steele was born on August 4, 1922 in Honoraville. She was the fourth of twelve children born to the late Will and Addie H. Demings. She entered her eternal rest on Dec. 26.
She was preceded in death by her husband Zeb Steele, Sr.; daughter, Grace Demings; son-in-law, David; daughters-in-law Pam and Mae; siblings, Doll, Lela, Annie Mae, Howard, IC., Willie, Fred, C. H. Kaizer and Jean; granddaughter, Jaiza and great grandson, Tré.
As a native of Honoraville, Addie attended Oak Grove School and taught herself to read with the Bible. She attended cooking school for a short period of time. She left Alabama and moved to Detroit, Mich., where she was employed by Swayder Brothers until they closed in the early 1960s.
In 1948, she met and married Zeb Steele, Sr. Addie was ordained in 1967 as a minister under the leadership of the late Rev. Bishop James Wallace of Lady Catherine Spiritual Church in Detroit. She was a great woman of faith, a devoted role model of Christian etiquette, gracious, warm and filled with God’s love. She was a devoted member of Oak Grove AME Zion Church and participated in a host of church activities over the years.
She became an Eastern Star in the early 1980s. Addie was a prayer warrior and often said, “She could get a prayer through to God”. Addie loved her family dearly and always enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday when all of the family came together, laughed, ate food and watched movies. She was known as “B” by her family and friends. She used to say the “B” only stood for the letter B.
She was honored at Highland Home High school for her commitment to ensuring that all of the Steele children graduated. This was one of her proudest accomplishments. She used to say, “Any child who lived under her roof was going to school and would graduate.”
Addie was a loving mother, grandmother, wife, daughter, sister and friend. She will be truly missed yet her memory will live on in the hearts of her loved ones. Addie leaves to cherish precious memories four children, Jacqueline (David) Steele-Hale of Inkster, Mich.; Zeb (Pam) Steele, Jr of Greenville; Johnny (Mae) Steele of Atlanta, and Randy Deborah) Steele of Detroit; one sister, Lillie Johnson; twelve grandchildren (Jaiza), twenty-eight great grandchildren (Tré) and five great great grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.