Dr. James C Steele

Dr. James Charles “Jim” Steele

James Charles "Jim" Steele died at home in Lexington, SC on July 1, 2018 at the age of 94.  He was born March 13, 1924 in Tallmansville, Upshur County, West Virginia at the home of his parents, James Adam and Zona Elizabeth (Reid) Steele. The family moved to a farm in Hartford, Ohio in 1937 where James graduated from Hartford High and then worked on the farm until beginning studies at Heidelberg College in 1941.

Two years later he was called into service with the U.S. Army Air Corps and reported to Jefferson Barracks in St Louis, MO for basic training. He later transferred to San Anotnio, TX and then San Marcos Army Air Field for Air Navigation training.  He graduated as a second lieutenant and came to the Columbia Army Air Base  for combat training in 1944.

James C. Steele met Marie Terry, daughter of John Bolton and Mildred Vivian (Crout) Terry in Columbia, SC and they were married on November 21, 1944. He continued his combat training in Tampa, FL and left the service in 1945 after the end of the war. James and Marie Steele lived in Columbia, SC where he earned a BS in Chemistry and Biology from the University of SC , in June 1949.  

James worked as a clerk at the Veterans Administration until he was accepted into medical school in 1951. He graduated from the Medical College of SC (now The Medical University of South Carolina) in Charleston, SC in 1955.  He did his rotating internship in Orangeburg, SC and in April 1956 set up practice in Lexington, SC at 401 W. Main Street with Dr. Albert Thomas in General Practice.

Dr. James C. Steele served as medical director at Rikard's Nursing Home (now Lexington Medical Center Extended Care) from 1956 to July 1983 and then became an attending physician and medical director for the S.C. Department of Mental Health until he retired in 1998. He was a founding member of the Lexington Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Lions Club  and was one of the original on call doctors for the Lexington Medical Center.  Dr. and Mrs. Steele have been members of Lexington United Methodist Church since 1956.

He is survived by his wife Marie Terry Steele; children, James C. Steele II (Vicki), Terry A. Steele, Elizabeth S. Reynolds (Wade), Jami S. Sprankle (Jason), Jon R. Steele (Marcella) and Tracy L. Steele; grandchildren James C. Steele III (Gabrielle), Rachel Travioli (Ray), Heather Steele, Ben Reynolds (Abbey), Emily Montes (Mark), Carolyn Steele, Thomas Reynolds, Andrew Reynolds, Lydia Steele, Reid Sprankle, Jon Steele; great grandchildren Annie Steele, Olivia Steele, Frances Steele, Thomas Steele, Daniel Steele and numerous other family members.

Visitation with the family will be at 10 am at Lexington United Methodist Church, 309 E. Main St. Lexington, SC with the service following at 11 am. Internment will be 2 pm at Ft. Jackson National Cemetery, 4170 Percival Rd. Columbia, SC

Dr. Steele’s family would like to give special thanks to the staff of Abbey Road Hospice for their care and support.

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