Barbara Elaine Steele

Barbara Elaine Steele

Cedar Rapids

Barbara Elaine Steele died peacefully in her home on February 23, 2025, after a long illness. The family will greet guests from 3:30-6 PM on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at the Cedar Memorial Chapel Stateroom in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Services will be held at 10 AM Friday, February 28, 2025, at Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories in Cedar Rapids.

Barb was born June 23, 1949, in Manchester, Iowa, the daughter of Eldon and Delores ‘Dory’ Ziebarth Akers. She graduated from Central City High School in 1967 and earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1971 from the University of Northern Iowa.

She was united in marriage to Ted Steele on August 14, 1971. Barb and Ted made their home on 28th Avenue in Marion, Iowa, where they raised two sons.

Barb was a lifelong educator who loved teaching and inspiring generations of children for over 35 years. She earned her Master’s in Education, also from the University of Northern Iowa, in 1989. She taught at Central City School District from 1971-1999, Linn-Mar Community schools from 1999-2006, and was recognized with KCRG’s Golden Apple award for teaching excellence. She also supported and encouraged her children and grandchildren to pursue higher education.

Despite being in a wheelchair for the last 23 years, Barb made the most of her time with family and friends and lived life to the fullest. For over 50 years she did everything with her beloved husband, Ted. The two worked a paper route together for over a decade. They enjoyed small getaways, trips to the casino, having dinner with friends and family, and watching QVC. She and Ted were avid sports fans who cheered for the Iowa Hawkeyes, Kansas Jayhawks, Utah Utes, Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Dodgers. She and Ted loved to host their children and grandchildren, including the summer of 2008 during the Cedar Rapids floods. Grandma Barb loved and was fiercely proud of her children, grandchildren and great-granddaughter, celebrating all of their accomplishments along the way and telling anyone she knew all about them. They also loved her and the warmth and joy she brought to their lives, the big hugs she always gave them, the rap poker they played with her, the delicious meals she made them, and the wonderful conversations they had. She will be missed, honored and celebrated by all who knew her.

Barb is survived by her husband, Ted Steele, of Cedar Rapids, her sons Brent (Mindy) Steele of Salt Lake City, Utah, Kyle (Lisa) Steele, of Cedar Rapids, her grandchildren Brenan (Marisa) Steele, Kaleb Steele, Annabelle Steele and Joseph Eldon Steele, and her great-granddaughter Norah Steele. She is also survived by her brothers Allen (Pam) Akers and Steve (Julie) Akers, her nieces and nephews, Michelle (George) Hahn, Isaiah (Amy) Akers, Mason (Terra) Akers, Austin Akers, Skyler Akers, and Ben Akers.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Kenneth Akers, and a nephew, Matthew Hemminger.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family. A memorial fund that will support arts education and special needs education will be established in Barb’s name.

The family would like to thank the staff at Mercy Medical Center and the Hospice House of Mercy for the care they provided Barb at the end of her life and special thanks to her cousins Tim & Flo Akers, her friends Katie & Troy Benham and Larry & Diane Gass.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.