Steele Barnett

Steele Barnett passed away on August 10th, 2010 at the age of 88. He was born August 5th, 1922 in Tulsa, Okla., to Francis and Victor Barnett. He was joined two years later by his sister Jean and four years later by his brother Fitzgerald. He graduated high school in Tulsa and in 1939, went to the Forestry School at the University of Idaho, where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. All went well until Dec. 7, 1941. Steele joined his classmates in registering for the service on Dec. 8th. He was called into Army Reserve service in 1942 and eventually assigned to 103rd Infantry, where he was a Squad Sergeant in Intelligence and Reconnaissance. Like so many in his generation, he didn't tell war stories but wrote instead "Like other GIs, we just did whatever needed doing, what ever might help get the victory or help each other." After the war, he returned to the University of Idaho, married Gwen Hughes, graduated and joined the State of Idaho Forestry Department. Steele later worked for Boise-Payette Lumber Co which became Boise Cascade Corp. During his time in Boise, he was involved in politics, served as a deacon in the Episcopal Church and as a regent for the University of Idaho. Steele and Gwen had three children: Carol, Susie and Larry. He later moved to Portland, Ore., to work for the Western Wood Products Association. He met and married Nerina, and joined her three children; Jim, Michael and Sherry. Those are the facts. Here is the man: Steele had a love of the outdoors, knew how to start a good campfire, find his way in the woods and share that knowledge with others. He was intelligent, had a fantastic memory and read the paper from back to front everyday. He had a strong work ethic, good sense of right and wrong and a delightful self-effacing sense of humor. Those of us who knew and loved him will miss him dearly.