Lt. Col. Charles Lowndes Steel, IV, (U.S. Army Ret), age 67, of Treasure Beach in St. Augustine, passed away on October 29, 2012 at his home surrounded by his loving family. Born in West Point, New York, Col. Steel graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1968, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Military Art and Engineering. He went on to earn an MBA in Management at Golden State University in California and an MS in Political Science and Latin American Studies at the University of Florida. Col. Steel was a Vietnam Veteran and spent twenty years serving his country, before retiring as Lt. Colonel. In 2006, he relocated to St. Augustine, moving here from Heber Springs, Arkansas. He was a member of Anastasia Baptist Church and had recently served on a church mission's trips to Nicaragua. He is survived by his wife, Jeanie Craig Steel, of St. Augustine; a son, Charles Lowndes Steel V, and his wife, Sara, of Newport, AR; a brother, Christopher Steel of Little Rock, AR; a sister, Natalie Zahalka of Heber Springs, AR; and a grandson, Charles Lowndes Steel VI. He is also loved by Jeanie's children, Lane Craig, and Lacy & Stephen Lawrence, and their children, Luke, Katelyn, Stella and Benjamin. A memorial service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 1, 2012, at Anastasia Baptist Church, with Dr. Walter West officiating. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery will be held at a later date. Flowers are gratefully declined and those wishing may make a contribution in his memory to Community Hospice of NE Florida, 4266 Sunbeam Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32257. St Johns Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
St. Augustine Record (FL) Oct 31 2012
_____________________________________________________________________
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Lowndes Steel IV was destined to attend the United States Military Academy. He was born in West Point, nurtured on Army posts around the world and fine-tuned at USMA Prep School. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Leland Stuart Smith '20 and his father Charles L. Steel III '44, Chuck entered the Academy as a third generation West Pointer.
Our plebe summer began as expected, but that all changed on the rifle range. We were told to cease fire and listen to a speech from President Lyndon B. Johnson. He told us about the Gulf of Tonkin incident and his order to send troops to the Republic of Vietnam. The country was now at war and our focus and future was changed in that moment.
Chuck did well at the Academy. Academics were tough for him but hard work got him through the difficulties. His passions were athletics, bridge, Spanish class, and girls—not necessarily in that order. He built relationships that would last a lifetime. I spent the summer of 1966 with Chuck and his family in Europe. Immediately upon landing at Torrejon AFB near Madrid, Chuck began using his Spanish language skills. He found a taxi to take us to the Madrid train station and conversed the entire way with the driver. When the driver asked for payment, Chuck began arguing that the price was more than that shown on the meter. After about 15 minutes of heated discussion, another American tourist came over to explain that there was a surcharge for all taxis departing from the airport. Chuck sheepishly paid the fee and we continued our journey via rail to Paris and on to Germany. There he taught me about military life and the joys of understanding other cultures. It was a wonderful summer and the perfect background to sharpen our focus toward graduation and the army life.
The war in Vietnam became more real to us the last years at the Academy. We buried upper classmen who had been our cadet leaders. We heard from those who had experienced the war and understood that we were being called to serve. Chuck and I both selected the Signal Corps and volunteered for service in Vietnam. After Ranger School and Signal schools, our first real assignment was to Fort Hood, TX. Shortly thereafter, we received our orders to the Republic of Vietnam.
Chuck served as a platoon leader and battalion communications officer with the First Air Cavalry in Vietnam and Cambodia and was decorated for his outstanding service to the country He served a tour of duty attached to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Columbia, as a military attaché. While on that assignment, he set up the command, control, communications, and intelligence system used to infiltrate and track the Columbian drug cartels. He served in Germany as a Detachment Commander with the 220th Signal Battalion, at Fort Detrick as an ADP officer, at Fort Bragg with the 1st PSYOP Battalion and in the Washington, DC, area as Aide-de-Camp to the Chairman InterAmerican Defense Board (LTG McEnery). His last two assignments were with the Defense Nuclear Agency and the Military District of Washington Information Center. He retired from the army with twenty years of distinguished service to the country.
While pursuing his master's degree in political science and Latin American studies at the University of Florida, Chuck met Deborah Ann Beileck and fell deeply in love. They married and became the proud parents of Charles Lowndes Steel V (Charlie). Chuck continued his education with an MBA in management from Golden Gate University in California. He transitioned from the Army to the private sector in 1988 at Unisys as program manager for an Army command and control system for logistics that incorporated transportation and tracking of all the things the Army needs to fight. Parts of that program are still in use today.
Unfortunately after 13 years of marriage, Deby passed away much too soon. Chuck and Charlie relocated to Little Rock, AR, where he became Expatriate Administration Manager with ALLTEL. The new job allowed Chuck to use his Spanish language skills and work with 75 expatriates and 200 local nationals in 12 foreign countries.
In 2006, after retiring from ALLTEL and spending some time in Heber Springs with family, Chuck moved to St. Augustine, FL. That's where he fell in love once again and married Jeanie Craig. She was all he had hoped for and they lived life with gusto. Chuck and Jeanie loved to fish and took every opportunity to do so. They were very active in the local church and Young Life. They traveled to Nicaragua on three mission trips getting Young Life camps ready for campers. In St. Augustine, Chuck was involved with homeless and needy people helping out in many different ways. Chuck and Jeanie spent each day with four grandchildren (Chuck loved becoming an instant grandfather overnight when he married Jeanie). A special blessing was the arrival of Charles Lowndes Steel VI, Charlie and Sara's son. Chuck and Jeanie were able to spend the entire month of June 2012 in Arkansas with Charlie and Sara for little Charlie's arrival. As Jeanie says, "What a joy it was for him to visit us here in Florida just before Chuck passed away. Chuck was still strong enough to watch him swim in the pool and hold him close and get to know him."
She also said, "Deeper than the pain of losing Chuck is my gratefulness. What a precious gift and honor to have been invited to share his life as his wife. He was a very special man.
Chuck Steel was a family man with a deep and abiding faith. Chuck will be missed but not forgotten. He will live forever in the memories of friends and family. Well done, my friend. Be Thou at Peace.
Source: West Point Association of Graduates 2014 TAPS
Contributor: Dale Hansen (47635551
St. Augustine Record (FL) Oct 31 2012
_____________________________________________________________________
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Lowndes Steel IV was destined to attend the United States Military Academy. He was born in West Point, nurtured on Army posts around the world and fine-tuned at USMA Prep School. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Leland Stuart Smith '20 and his father Charles L. Steel III '44, Chuck entered the Academy as a third generation West Pointer.
Our plebe summer began as expected, but that all changed on the rifle range. We were told to cease fire and listen to a speech from President Lyndon B. Johnson. He told us about the Gulf of Tonkin incident and his order to send troops to the Republic of Vietnam. The country was now at war and our focus and future was changed in that moment.
Chuck did well at the Academy. Academics were tough for him but hard work got him through the difficulties. His passions were athletics, bridge, Spanish class, and girls—not necessarily in that order. He built relationships that would last a lifetime. I spent the summer of 1966 with Chuck and his family in Europe. Immediately upon landing at Torrejon AFB near Madrid, Chuck began using his Spanish language skills. He found a taxi to take us to the Madrid train station and conversed the entire way with the driver. When the driver asked for payment, Chuck began arguing that the price was more than that shown on the meter. After about 15 minutes of heated discussion, another American tourist came over to explain that there was a surcharge for all taxis departing from the airport. Chuck sheepishly paid the fee and we continued our journey via rail to Paris and on to Germany. There he taught me about military life and the joys of understanding other cultures. It was a wonderful summer and the perfect background to sharpen our focus toward graduation and the army life.
The war in Vietnam became more real to us the last years at the Academy. We buried upper classmen who had been our cadet leaders. We heard from those who had experienced the war and understood that we were being called to serve. Chuck and I both selected the Signal Corps and volunteered for service in Vietnam. After Ranger School and Signal schools, our first real assignment was to Fort Hood, TX. Shortly thereafter, we received our orders to the Republic of Vietnam.
Chuck served as a platoon leader and battalion communications officer with the First Air Cavalry in Vietnam and Cambodia and was decorated for his outstanding service to the country He served a tour of duty attached to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Columbia, as a military attaché. While on that assignment, he set up the command, control, communications, and intelligence system used to infiltrate and track the Columbian drug cartels. He served in Germany as a Detachment Commander with the 220th Signal Battalion, at Fort Detrick as an ADP officer, at Fort Bragg with the 1st PSYOP Battalion and in the Washington, DC, area as Aide-de-Camp to the Chairman InterAmerican Defense Board (LTG McEnery). His last two assignments were with the Defense Nuclear Agency and the Military District of Washington Information Center. He retired from the army with twenty years of distinguished service to the country.
While pursuing his master's degree in political science and Latin American studies at the University of Florida, Chuck met Deborah Ann Beileck and fell deeply in love. They married and became the proud parents of Charles Lowndes Steel V (Charlie). Chuck continued his education with an MBA in management from Golden Gate University in California. He transitioned from the Army to the private sector in 1988 at Unisys as program manager for an Army command and control system for logistics that incorporated transportation and tracking of all the things the Army needs to fight. Parts of that program are still in use today.
Unfortunately after 13 years of marriage, Deby passed away much too soon. Chuck and Charlie relocated to Little Rock, AR, where he became Expatriate Administration Manager with ALLTEL. The new job allowed Chuck to use his Spanish language skills and work with 75 expatriates and 200 local nationals in 12 foreign countries.
In 2006, after retiring from ALLTEL and spending some time in Heber Springs with family, Chuck moved to St. Augustine, FL. That's where he fell in love once again and married Jeanie Craig. She was all he had hoped for and they lived life with gusto. Chuck and Jeanie loved to fish and took every opportunity to do so. They were very active in the local church and Young Life. They traveled to Nicaragua on three mission trips getting Young Life camps ready for campers. In St. Augustine, Chuck was involved with homeless and needy people helping out in many different ways. Chuck and Jeanie spent each day with four grandchildren (Chuck loved becoming an instant grandfather overnight when he married Jeanie). A special blessing was the arrival of Charles Lowndes Steel VI, Charlie and Sara's son. Chuck and Jeanie were able to spend the entire month of June 2012 in Arkansas with Charlie and Sara for little Charlie's arrival. As Jeanie says, "What a joy it was for him to visit us here in Florida just before Chuck passed away. Chuck was still strong enough to watch him swim in the pool and hold him close and get to know him."
She also said, "Deeper than the pain of losing Chuck is my gratefulness. What a precious gift and honor to have been invited to share his life as his wife. He was a very special man.
Chuck Steel was a family man with a deep and abiding faith. Chuck will be missed but not forgotten. He will live forever in the memories of friends and family. Well done, my friend. Be Thou at Peace.
Source: West Point Association of Graduates 2014 TAPS
Contributor: Dale Hansen (47635551
Lt. Col. Charles Lowndes Steel, IV, (U.S. Army Ret), age 67, of Treasure Beach in St. Augustine, passed away on October 29, 2012 at his home surrounded by his loving family. Born in West Point, New York, Col. Steel graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1968, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Military Art and Engineering. He went on to earn an MBA in Management at Golden State University in California and an MS in Political Science and Latin American Studies at the University of Florida. Col. Steel was a Vietnam Veteran and spent twenty years serving his country, before retiring as Lt. Colonel. In 2006, he relocated to St. Augustine, moving here from Heber Springs, Arkansas. He was a member of Anastasia Baptist Church and had recently served on a church mission's trips to Nicaragua. He is survived by his wife, Jeanie Craig Steel, of St. Augustine; a son, Charles Lowndes Steel V, and his wife, Sara, of Newport, AR; a brother, Christopher Steel of Little Rock, AR; a sister, Natalie Zahalka of Heber Springs, AR; and a grandson, Charles Lowndes Steel VI. He is also loved by Jeanie's children, Lane Craig, and Lacy & Stephen Lawrence, and their children, Luke, Katelyn, Stella and Benjamin. A memorial service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 1, 2012, at Anastasia Baptist Church, with Dr. Walter West officiating. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery will be held at a later date. Flowers are gratefully declined and those wishing may make a contribution in his memory to Community Hospice of NE Florida, 4266 Sunbeam Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32257. St Johns Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
St. Augustine Record (FL) Oct 31 2012
_____________________________________________________________________
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Lowndes Steel IV was destined to attend the United States Military Academy. He was born in West Point, nurtured on Army posts around the world and fine-tuned at USMA Prep School. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Leland Stuart Smith '20 and his father Charles L. Steel III '44, Chuck entered the Academy as a third generation West Pointer.
Our plebe summer began as expected, but that all changed on the rifle range. We were told to cease fire and listen to a speech from President Lyndon B. Johnson. He told us about the Gulf of Tonkin incident and his order to send troops to the Republic of Vietnam. The country was now at war and our focus and future was changed in that moment.
Chuck did well at the Academy. Academics were tough for him but hard work got him through the difficulties. His passions were athletics, bridge, Spanish class, and girls—not necessarily in that order. He built relationships that would last a lifetime. I spent the summer of 1966 with Chuck and his family in Europe. Immediately upon landing at Torrejon AFB near Madrid, Chuck began using his Spanish language skills. He found a taxi to take us to the Madrid train station and conversed the entire way with the driver. When the driver asked for payment, Chuck began arguing that the price was more than that shown on the meter. After about 15 minutes of heated discussion, another American tourist came over to explain that there was a surcharge for all taxis departing from the airport. Chuck sheepishly paid the fee and we continued our journey via rail to Paris and on to Germany. There he taught me about military life and the joys of understanding other cultures. It was a wonderful summer and the perfect background to sharpen our focus toward graduation and the army life.
The war in Vietnam became more real to us the last years at the Academy. We buried upper classmen who had been our cadet leaders. We heard from those who had experienced the war and understood that we were being called to serve. Chuck and I both selected the Signal Corps and volunteered for service in Vietnam. After Ranger School and Signal schools, our first real assignment was to Fort Hood, TX. Shortly thereafter, we received our orders to the Republic of Vietnam.
Chuck served as a platoon leader and battalion communications officer with the First Air Cavalry in Vietnam and Cambodia and was decorated for his outstanding service to the country He served a tour of duty attached to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Columbia, as a military attaché. While on that assignment, he set up the command, control, communications, and intelligence system used to infiltrate and track the Columbian drug cartels. He served in Germany as a Detachment Commander with the 220th Signal Battalion, at Fort Detrick as an ADP officer, at Fort Bragg with the 1st PSYOP Battalion and in the Washington, DC, area as Aide-de-Camp to the Chairman InterAmerican Defense Board (LTG McEnery). His last two assignments were with the Defense Nuclear Agency and the Military District of Washington Information Center. He retired from the army with twenty years of distinguished service to the country.
While pursuing his master's degree in political science and Latin American studies at the University of Florida, Chuck met Deborah Ann Beileck and fell deeply in love. They married and became the proud parents of Charles Lowndes Steel V (Charlie). Chuck continued his education with an MBA in management from Golden Gate University in California. He transitioned from the Army to the private sector in 1988 at Unisys as program manager for an Army command and control system for logistics that incorporated transportation and tracking of all the things the Army needs to fight. Parts of that program are still in use today.
Unfortunately after 13 years of marriage, Deby passed away much too soon. Chuck and Charlie relocated to Little Rock, AR, where he became Expatriate Administration Manager with ALLTEL. The new job allowed Chuck to use his Spanish language skills and work with 75 expatriates and 200 local nationals in 12 foreign countries.
In 2006, after retiring from ALLTEL and spending some time in Heber Springs with family, Chuck moved to St. Augustine, FL. That's where he fell in love once again and married Jeanie Craig. She was all he had hoped for and they lived life with gusto. Chuck and Jeanie loved to fish and took every opportunity to do so. They were very active in the local church and Young Life. They traveled to Nicaragua on three mission trips getting Young Life camps ready for campers. In St. Augustine, Chuck was involved with homeless and needy people helping out in many different ways. Chuck and Jeanie spent each day with four grandchildren (Chuck loved becoming an instant grandfather overnight when he married Jeanie). A special blessing was the arrival of Charles Lowndes Steel VI, Charlie and Sara's son. Chuck and Jeanie were able to spend the entire month of June 2012 in Arkansas with Charlie and Sara for little Charlie's arrival. As Jeanie says, "What a joy it was for him to visit us here in Florida just before Chuck passed away. Chuck was still strong enough to watch him swim in the pool and hold him close and get to know him."
She also said, "Deeper than the pain of losing Chuck is my gratefulness. What a precious gift and honor to have been invited to share his life as his wife. He was a very special man.
Chuck Steel was a family man with a deep and abiding faith. Chuck will be missed but not forgotten. He will live forever in the memories of friends and family. Well done, my friend. Be Thou at Peace.
Source: West Point Association of Graduates 2014 TAPS
Contributor: Dale Hansen (47635551
St. Augustine Record (FL) Oct 31 2012
_____________________________________________________________________
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Lowndes Steel IV was destined to attend the United States Military Academy. He was born in West Point, nurtured on Army posts around the world and fine-tuned at USMA Prep School. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Leland Stuart Smith '20 and his father Charles L. Steel III '44, Chuck entered the Academy as a third generation West Pointer.
Our plebe summer began as expected, but that all changed on the rifle range. We were told to cease fire and listen to a speech from President Lyndon B. Johnson. He told us about the Gulf of Tonkin incident and his order to send troops to the Republic of Vietnam. The country was now at war and our focus and future was changed in that moment.
Chuck did well at the Academy. Academics were tough for him but hard work got him through the difficulties. His passions were athletics, bridge, Spanish class, and girls—not necessarily in that order. He built relationships that would last a lifetime. I spent the summer of 1966 with Chuck and his family in Europe. Immediately upon landing at Torrejon AFB near Madrid, Chuck began using his Spanish language skills. He found a taxi to take us to the Madrid train station and conversed the entire way with the driver. When the driver asked for payment, Chuck began arguing that the price was more than that shown on the meter. After about 15 minutes of heated discussion, another American tourist came over to explain that there was a surcharge for all taxis departing from the airport. Chuck sheepishly paid the fee and we continued our journey via rail to Paris and on to Germany. There he taught me about military life and the joys of understanding other cultures. It was a wonderful summer and the perfect background to sharpen our focus toward graduation and the army life.
The war in Vietnam became more real to us the last years at the Academy. We buried upper classmen who had been our cadet leaders. We heard from those who had experienced the war and understood that we were being called to serve. Chuck and I both selected the Signal Corps and volunteered for service in Vietnam. After Ranger School and Signal schools, our first real assignment was to Fort Hood, TX. Shortly thereafter, we received our orders to the Republic of Vietnam.
Chuck served as a platoon leader and battalion communications officer with the First Air Cavalry in Vietnam and Cambodia and was decorated for his outstanding service to the country He served a tour of duty attached to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Columbia, as a military attaché. While on that assignment, he set up the command, control, communications, and intelligence system used to infiltrate and track the Columbian drug cartels. He served in Germany as a Detachment Commander with the 220th Signal Battalion, at Fort Detrick as an ADP officer, at Fort Bragg with the 1st PSYOP Battalion and in the Washington, DC, area as Aide-de-Camp to the Chairman InterAmerican Defense Board (LTG McEnery). His last two assignments were with the Defense Nuclear Agency and the Military District of Washington Information Center. He retired from the army with twenty years of distinguished service to the country.
While pursuing his master's degree in political science and Latin American studies at the University of Florida, Chuck met Deborah Ann Beileck and fell deeply in love. They married and became the proud parents of Charles Lowndes Steel V (Charlie). Chuck continued his education with an MBA in management from Golden Gate University in California. He transitioned from the Army to the private sector in 1988 at Unisys as program manager for an Army command and control system for logistics that incorporated transportation and tracking of all the things the Army needs to fight. Parts of that program are still in use today.
Unfortunately after 13 years of marriage, Deby passed away much too soon. Chuck and Charlie relocated to Little Rock, AR, where he became Expatriate Administration Manager with ALLTEL. The new job allowed Chuck to use his Spanish language skills and work with 75 expatriates and 200 local nationals in 12 foreign countries.
In 2006, after retiring from ALLTEL and spending some time in Heber Springs with family, Chuck moved to St. Augustine, FL. That's where he fell in love once again and married Jeanie Craig. She was all he had hoped for and they lived life with gusto. Chuck and Jeanie loved to fish and took every opportunity to do so. They were very active in the local church and Young Life. They traveled to Nicaragua on three mission trips getting Young Life camps ready for campers. In St. Augustine, Chuck was involved with homeless and needy people helping out in many different ways. Chuck and Jeanie spent each day with four grandchildren (Chuck loved becoming an instant grandfather overnight when he married Jeanie). A special blessing was the arrival of Charles Lowndes Steel VI, Charlie and Sara's son. Chuck and Jeanie were able to spend the entire month of June 2012 in Arkansas with Charlie and Sara for little Charlie's arrival. As Jeanie says, "What a joy it was for him to visit us here in Florida just before Chuck passed away. Chuck was still strong enough to watch him swim in the pool and hold him close and get to know him."
She also said, "Deeper than the pain of losing Chuck is my gratefulness. What a precious gift and honor to have been invited to share his life as his wife. He was a very special man.
Chuck Steel was a family man with a deep and abiding faith. Chuck will be missed but not forgotten. He will live forever in the memories of friends and family. Well done, my friend. Be Thou at Peace.
Source: West Point Association of Graduates 2014 TAPS
Contributor: Dale Hansen (47635551
Inscription
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army
Gravesite Details
Interred April 23, 2013; buried with his first wife
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
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