Martha Alona Steele

HOUSTON, MINN. - Martha Alona Steele, 102, 313 S. Jefferson St., Houston, died Saturday, September 27, at Valley View Nursing Home. She was born August 17, 1901, in rural Houston to William and Nora (Highlen) Steele. She graduated from Houston High School in 1919. She attended Winona State Teacher's College for one full year and several summers and received her two-year diploma in the summer of 1925. In 1943 she received a Bachelor of Science degree from Winona State University and in 1953 a Master's degree from the University of Minnesota. She taught in rural schools for five years, in New Ulm for one year, the Jefferson Elementary and Junior High School in Winona for 41 years and Accounting and English at the Winona Secretarial School for two years. She was a member of the Houston Presbyterian Church and its Women's Group. She served as Elder for five years and was active in the Education Committee of the Presbytery. She was a member of the Gamma Tau chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an Honor Society in Education at Winona State Teacher's College. She was a fifty-plus year member of the Winona Business and Professional Women's Club, holding the office of President and Treasurer and serving on several committees. She was a member of the Houston Forget-Me-Not Garden Club and the American Legion Auxillary. She was an Honorary member of the Minnesota State P.T.A. She belonged to several retirement groups: local, district, state, and national. She is survived by one niece: Lorayn Paavola of Hemet, CA and one nephew: Rolyn Anderson of Coeur D'Alene, ID. She also is survived by many great-nieces, including Dr. Laurie Paavola-Boyd of Exton, PA, and many great nephews and a number of great-great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Grace Faulds and Lenore Anderson; a half sister Grace Ross, one brother James Steele; one half brother William McLeod; three nephews, Wayne Steele, Keith Steele and William Faulds, and one niece, Genevieve Johnson of Houston, MN. Funeral services will be held at Hoff Funeral Homes - Houston Chapel at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8, with the Rev. Robert Drier officiating. Burial will be in the Money Creek Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 7, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and one hour prior to the service on Wednesday at the funeral home.