Obituary of Louise Elizabeth Steeble

Louise F. Steeble, a 20-year resident of Southampton Estates, passed away peacefully on March 27, 2011, at her residence. She was 98. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 41 years, Edwin P. Steeble. She was also predeceased by her oldest son, Edwin F. Steeble and by her great-granddaughter, Meredith Bounds. Louise was born on May 13, 1912, in Nokomis, VA, in Virginia's Northern Neck. In 1930, she came to Baltimore, where she entered nurses' training at Maryland General Hospital. During her early nursing career, she was the night supervisor of the surgical unit at Baltimore City Hospitals. When she moved to Philadelphia after marriage, she worked as a nurse supervisor at Hahnemann Hospital. She interrupted her nursing career to raise her two sons in Abington. While they were growing up, she worked as a Red Cross volunteer and was active in civic affairs in Jenkintown. She returned to nursing at Jeanes Hospital in 1959. In 1967, Louise became Director of Nursing and Health Programs at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross. Her duties ran the gamut from teaching community home nursing and baby care classes to providing disaster relief. She also was chairman of the chapter's Service to Military Families program, and she served a 2-year stint as Chairman of the Board of the Eastern Montgomery County Branch. In 1983, she was inducted into the Clara Barton Society in recognition of more than 30 years of distinguished service to the American Red Cross as both a volunteer and staff member. In later years, she continued to work as a volunteer, providing a total of 40 years of Red Cross service. Louise made friends with everyone she met, fellow residents and staff alike. She attended Vesper Services at Southampton and was a member of Warminster Presbyterian Church. She was active in Wii bowling and also enjoyed gardening, bird watching, and playing bridge. She is survived by her son Robert Steeble and his wife, Susan of Baltimore, MD; by her daughter-in-law, Judith Steeble of Summerville, SC; by her grandchildren, Alison Bounds and her husband, Alec of Roswell, GA, Ted Steeble of Queenstown, MD, Diana Steeble and Andrew Steeble both of Seattle, WA; and by her great-grandsons, Wyatt Bounds and Landon Bounds. She was also predeceased by her friend and companion, T. Clark Collins. Memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 in the Auditorium of Southampton Estates, 238 E. Street Road. Southampton, where friends and acquaintances will be received after the service. Burial in Whitemarsh Memorial Park will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the American Red Cross, 23rd and Chestnut Streets, Phila., PA 19103 or to the Samaritan Fund of Southampton Estates, 238 E. Street Road, Southampton, PA 18966.