June F. Steele-Meacham – December 14, 2021

Mrs. June Frances Steele-Meacham (Felder), age 95, passed away in the loving company of her son and daughter, her Bridges Hospice Nurse and her caregivers on December 14, 2021. She was currently living in her independent home at Liberty Heights Senior Care Residence, where she had been residing since 2013. June and her husband, Nick, moved to Colorado Springs later in life, but built a vast and loving community of friends amid the retired Air Force community in the area.

June was born on June 4, 1926 to Mildred Frances Felder and George W. Felder Sr. at the Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington DC. June was a good student and a lively, social young lady. As she was growing up, she loved ice skating, horseback riding, dance and modeling.

Through friends June met William Nicholas (Nick) Steele, who was working at the Washington Navy Yard until he was old enough to join the Army Air Corps. June married Nick on August 12, 1944 in Baton Rouge where he was in pilot training, preparing for his World War II combat missions. Upon Nick’s return, their son, William Nicholas Steele Jr. was born in Washington DC. Later, they welcomed their daughter, Amy Jo (Steele) O’Dair, in Bellevue, Nebraska. June heartily embraced the responsibilities of being a military spouse as the young family began the many moves of Nick’s Air Force career, including assignments across the country as well as Morocco and Okinawa.

As June managed their dynamic life together, she also began her enjoyment of fashion and etiquette. Her modeling career blossomed as she helped manage a Professional Model Studio while they were stationed at Offutt AFB in Nebraska. She also furthered the capable golf swing which she had nurtured while they were stationed at Nouasseur Air Force Base in Morocco.  June’s true love of the game made it into a joyful pastime with friends and family for years to come. 

As June and Nick’s lives brought them to Colorado Springs with Nick’s military retirement and career change, they both energetically embraced their empty nest life. June started her own design and decorating company, June Steele Interiors. At each tour of duty, she had devotedly made each house into a lovely family home, helping her husband and children feel comfortable and grounded in new environments.  This wonderful attribute led her to a successful career. Her design skills continued to be in high demand until she retired in her 70’s. June and Nick also welcomed many grandchildren during this time and became involved, attentive grandparents. They rarely missed the opportunity to join Amy’s family in Colorado Springs for celebrations and for their grandchildren’s many important milestones. “Nana June” and “Poppi” living close to Amy’s family was a huge blessing and lots of fun for all! However, those involved grandparents also traveled around the country to visit with Nick Jr.’s family; even enjoying a marvelous vacation in Paris with them!

June was preceded in death by Nick Steele, her adoring husband of nearly sixty years, in 2003. She continued an active life with her two children, eight grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and many wonderful fur-children.  June Steele married Gerard Meacham, a long-time Air Force friend, in 2005, thus becoming June Steele-Meacham. In 2011, Gerry also passed away.

June’s ceremony of life will be held with family in Washington DC where she will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery with Nick Steele.

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…thoughts of love from children and grandchildren…to their Nana AND their Poppi…because——————-together always/that is who they were.

 June was a beautiful young girl 

“With cheerful and proud grandparent joy, Nana lived through (with Poppie, but then also after he died) countless terrible concerts, plays, sports games, etc for her grandchildren!”  “It was always like a magnificent treat going to their house…like Disneyland.”

“I remember!!!  when I would go up to Nana’s room to see her after she was already seated on her bed; She would sort of “pat-pat” the bed up next to her and smile at me…her way of saying “Come Sit Sweetie” It always felt VERY special…a “happy bed” like nana’s. for getting well, watching special movies, being together, eating goodies off special trays”.

“THE FAT LADY!” yeah!!!!!?

“simple and slow-paced pastimes”….”fun walks around the lake; who could forget those”?

“doing our nails in bed after nap-time”…”walking with her while she played a few holes of golf”…”the cough drops always in the little container and the goldfish were always out in a wooden bowl”…”the jewelry and clip-on earrings were everywhere for us to play with and Nana never said anything was off limits”…”exploring her closet together”

“the tic-tac-toe on the brass board”…”the continual game of Monopoly with Nana and Poppie”…”green Wrigley’s gum sitting and waiting for us in her purse”

“After being grown and moved away, I always received such a sweet and happy greeting when calling from afar; that it made me feel like a celebrity!”

“CONFETTI SEQUINS IN OUR CARDS!”

“Nana’s silly stories and funny family anecdotes would so often bring hearty laughter to the family gatherings, even if she told them a million times” ?

June 3, 2017 —“Birthday Shopping Day for Nana’s 91st!!!!  Hysterical!! The dressing room was actually big enough for Nana’s wheelchair, mom and me. Unfortunately for the dress shop, we are never a quiet bunch; and the laughter was huge as we tried to put clothes on Nana to find a new outfit. When we pushed her out, Nana had a big smile and was proudly hanging onto her pretty pants outfit!!”                                                                                                                   

Some More “Stories”???

“When possible, June traveled with her kids to wherever Nick Sr. was training or serving temporary duty. But in those times when she had to remain home, June turned those periods into learning opportunities for her children. As her first little person, I remember a just-right-sized-stool that I stood at her side while mom instructively cooked or ironed…I now really enjoy cooking all the time.”

“She sometimes took her little boy down to the edge of the runway to watch his daddy take off in some of the legendary aircraft of the time.”

****Nana June was NEVER caught without something to say.  Actually, part of her charm was that she ALWAYS seemed to be talking?****

June was sitting next to her son-in-law, Michael, while he was driving all of us back from Oklahoma….she asked him yet another question….for which he answered: “June, I have responded to you for eight hours; it is 7pm and I am NOT answering any more questions…I am NOT talking any more”   June’s eyebrows shot up as she gave Michael her “snottyish” look…but SURE ENOUGH ? she turned in her seat to face us better in the back……and, YES, Nana June just kept right on talking!!!“

Nick Tres and his wife and son had just visited with his Nana June….he was asked if he had a nice visit?  His answer was:  “Of course❤️!…but I can’t feel my ears”

“as us kids and grandkids would be sitting in the back of their car we would always get a laugh when Poppie would get lost. Nana had lots to say about that…then all of a sudden quiet Poppie would say: …”Well, gosh darn-it June!!” ?  

❤️❤️ Whether Together….(fr. 1944) or when apart:…..(2003) when Poppie passed away ❤️❤️

“He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to Heaven, and the angels of GOD were ascending and descending on it.” – Genesis 28:12(NIV)

(In her last years, my mother use to “see this” in various versions when she would be looking at the top of beautiful Pikes Peak out her window.)

In May 1970, a time when June and Nick were apart and finally got reunited: …he had been called to fly C-130’s in Vietnam and we got to join him to live in Okinawa…when we arrived, he had special gifts. One of Nana’s cards from Poppie read:  “Darling, How I’ve missed you. How glad I am you’re here. Love, Poppie” I can hear him saying that now.

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