Alton Steelman

Funeral services for Alton Steelman, 83, of Gilmer, Texas, will be held at 3:00 pm, Saturday, November 15, 2025, at First Methodist Church Gilmer with Rev. Matthew Smith and Bro. Charles Johnson officiating. Interment to follow at Sunset Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at 2:00 pm before the service.
Alton was born on December 6, 1941, in Gilmer, Texas, to E. C. "Pete" and Exie Pool Steelman and passed from this life on November 12, 2025.
Alton married Sandy Brown on February 9, 1962, in Bettie, Texas. He and Sandy loved to travel in their RV and had visited all 50 states. Alton loved running his trotlines and his tractor and hosting fish fries at the "Farm". He became a loyal Gilmer Buckeye fan when Susan joined the band and JP played football. Most of all, he loved being Poppy to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
After graduating from Harmony High School and working several different jobs, including Kelly Plow, General Electric, and Economy Auto Supply, Alton was hired at Lone Star Steel as a machinist. After several years, he moved to Continental Can and continued working as a machinist. He realized shift work was not allowing him to be as involved in his children's lives as he wanted to be, so he decided to go into business with Bobby Whiteside and they started Whiteside and Steelman Garage. At one point, he also owned a car wash and was a partner in Gilmer Auto Supply. In 1979, Alton decided to go out on his own and opened Steelman's Garage, where he worked until his retirement in 2004.
Alton joined the Gilmer Volunteer Fire Department in 1964 and was honored to serve the community for many years. He was nominated as Captain and eventually as Assistant Fire Chief by his fellow firemen. Alton was named Fireman of the Year in 1988. He retired from the Gilmer VFD in 2004.
He was also a member of the First Methodist Church of Gilmer.
Those left to cherish his memories are his wife, Sandy Steelman; daughter, Susan Davis; son, John Paul "J.P." Steelman (Becky); grandchildren, Katie-Beth Morton (Sam), James Whittenberg (Rachel), Sydnee Mangini (Chris), Erin Whittenberg, Lauralee Davis (fiancée Matthew Flanagan), and Sophia Jurecek (Matthew); great grandchildren, Mollie Kate Morton, August James Whittenberg, and June Noelle Mangini.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Maevon Blundell and Shirley Williams; brother, Wayne Steelman; and his son-in-law, Bradley Davis.
Pallbearers will be James Whittenberg, Sam Morton, Matthew Jurecek, Matthew Flanagan, Jacob Tarrant, and Mike Waller.
Donations in Alton's memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, First Methodist Church of Gilmer, or the Breakthrough Type 1 Diabetes (Formerly JDRF).
Please visit Alton's online registration book at www.mcwhorterfh.com to leave a memory for the family.