Dennis R. Steele

Dennis Richard Steele, a Baltimore resident since 1970, died Sept. 7 at Gilchrist Center Towson. With him in his final moments were his wife of 45 years, Barbara Mangin Steele; son, Justin Thomas Steele; and friends and other relatives. Dennis passed away eight months after being diagnosed with a rare form of bladder cancer.

Born in Detroit Feb. 13, 1947, Dennis moved to Baltimore in 1970 to meet up with college friends who were city natives. In 1972, shortly before completing his B.S. in Philosophy at Towson University (then Towson State College), he joined the sales staff at Maryland Hotel Supply, embarking on what evolved into a 47-year career at the company, later known as Maryland Quality Meats and now Halperns', a Division of Gordon Food Service. Among his first clients at Maryland Hotel Supply were the Timonium, Pimlico, and Laurel racetracks, an association that inspired a lifelong appreciation of the culture surrounding Maryland horse racing.

Between stints as sales manager he headed up the team that transitioned the company's sales, inventory, delivery, and payroll data from paper to electronic systems. He later spearheaded initiatives to maintain compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011. At the time of his death he was director of quality control and operations management.

Dennis' interests outside work included boating on the Chesapeake Bay-over the years he owned both sailboats and powerboats. In his fifties he fulfilled a longtime ambition by achieving private pilot certification. Many of his flights saw him passing over the same Chesapeake waters he'd boated; he also enjoyed exploring the mid-Atlantic from the air. Up for a new adventure in his sixties he became a certified scuba diver, counting the Grand Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, and the U.S. Virgin Islands among his favorite diving spots.

In 2000, Dennis and his longtime friend Dr. Edward C. "Terry" Watters launched MemberoftheFamily.net, a website providing access to federal and state quality-of-care assessments on thousands of nursing homes. Dennis and Dr. Watters published "Danger Zone: Unlock the Secrets of Nursing Home Records and Protect Your Loved Ones" in 2003. The goal of both website and book was to help people become better advocates for friends and family members receiving nursing home care. Dr. Watters credits the success of MemberoftheFamily.net and subsequent projects to his partner's intellectual curiosity and skills as a researcher and writer.

In addition to his wife, of Baltimore, and son, of Sykesville, Dennis is survived by his brothers, Patrick J. Steele, of Seattle, and Timothy W. Steele, of Portland, Oregon, and his beloved grandchildren, Zachary and Kerrington.

Memorial services are planned for later this month, with viewings Thurs., Sept. 26, 2–4 pm and 7–9 pm, at Ruck Towson Funeral Home. A Catholic mass will take place Fri., Sept. 27, 10:30 am, at St. Isaac Jogues Parish Church, Parkville. In lieu of flowers the family suggests a donation to Helping Up Mission (helpingupmission.org), an organization assisting addicted and homeless people, whose programs Dennis greatly admired.