Eldon Steele

Eldon Laverne Steele died July 7, 2025 at UHD hospital after a 2 year-long battle with MDS. Eldon was born in Pilot Grove Township, Minnesota to Alton and Gladys (More) Steele on May 21, 1937. He attended District #1 country school for grades 1-8 and worked on his parent’s farm for many years.

Eldon met his wife, Reta, in the summer of 1958 and married on November 21, 1959. A honeymoon in Florida kicked off the beginning of their many years of traveling and 63 years of marriage. Eldon and Reta had three children.

In 1962, Eldon started working for Art’s Way Manufacturing in Armstrong, IA. Eldon left Art’s Way after 2 years to once again work on the family farm. In 1965, Eldon and Reta purchased their 40-acre farm located in Jo Davis Township. After working in a machine shop in Ohio for a couple of months in 1966, Eldon and family returned to Minnesota where he worked for Winnebago Manufacturing for the next 32 years. Eldon spent his retirement working for area farmers and traveling with Reta. They spent 20 winters exploring the southwest in their RV as well as seeing 49 states (never made it to Hawaii), Canada, and many European countries.

Eldon was preceded in death by wife, Reta, parents, Alton and Gladys, daughter, Angela Powell, brothers Vernon and Ramon, father and mother-in-law, Med and Billie Anderson, sister-in-law, Nancy Steele, brothers-in-law, John Anderson and Donald Cole and nephew Yankten Anderson.

He is survived by sons Lyndon (Diane Connors) and Sheldon (René Durhman), brother Milt (Donna), sisters-in-law Nancy Cole, Chris Anderson and brother-in-law George (Judy) Anderson, granddaughters Jennifer (Mark) Summe and Jessica (Will), great-grandchildren Judah, Remi, Ari, Eila, and Titus Summe, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu for flowers or gifts, please send donations to the Salvation Army.

Visitation will be held from 1-3PM on Wednesday, July 9th at Patton Funeral Home in Blue Earth followed by burial at Pilot Grove Cemetery.