Lavon E. (Boocher) Steele, 88, of Dowagiac and formerly of Mishawaka, died Tuesday October 11, 2011 in Dowagiac. She was born in South Bend on April 16, 1923 to Daniel F. and Grace (Green) Boocher. Lavon graduated from the St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing in 1945 and on December 24, 1945 she married William C. Steele. She was a member of Niles Grace Brethren Church and retired in 1985 as a registered Nurse at St. Joseph Hospital. She has also formerly served as an RN for the Studebaker Corp. Lavon is survived by her sons; Daniel (Charlotte) Steele of Dowagiac, MI, William C. (Paulette) Steele, Jr. of Osceola, Marshall (Jennea) Steele of North Liberty, Kenneth (Teresa) Steele of South Bend and Timothy (Donna) Steele of Mishawaka; her grandchildren, Amy (Ray) Woodruff of Fredericksburg VA, Andrea Frickie of Big Pine Key FL, Greg (Ann) Suetkamp of Osceola, Michael (Julie) Suetkamp of Osceola, William C. (Amy) Steele, III of Granger, Ashley (Tim) Andrews of Mishawaka, Marshall L. (Amy) Steele, Jr. of North Liberty, Melinda (Ryan) Norberg of North Liberty, Kerry (Lisa) Steele of Bremen, Jamie Steele of LaPorte, Joel Steele of Mishawaka, Tony (Jill) Steele of Mishawaka, and Timothy C. (Sarah) Steele, Jr. of Kokomo; 26 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren and her sister; Genevieve Couch in Alabama. She was preceded in death by her husband, William C. Steele and her brothers; Lester, Robert, Delbert & Daniel Boocher. Funeral Services with Rev. Mike Ostrander officiating, will be at 10:00 Monday, October 17, 2011 in Chapel Hill Funeral Home, 10776 McKinley Highway, with calling one hour prior to services. Calling also Sunday 1-5pm at the funeral home. Burial in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. The family''s preferred memorial is Niles Grace Brethren Church, 1928 E. Bertrand Road, Niles, Michigan 49120.
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