ANSON – Schuyler G. Steele, esquire, 51, relinquished his sword to colon cancer March 8, 2010. He fought that battle, as he lived his life, with honor, intelligence, courage and dignity. He was born June 16, 1958, in Manchester, Conn., to Ronald J. and Terry (Garcelon) Steele. James Joyce readers will recognize this date as Bloom’s Day. Schuyler would often cloak a reminder of his pending birthday as the approach of Bloom’s Day. Joyce, Conrad, King, Homer, Hawthorne, Browning and Koontz were among Schuyler’s favorite fiction writers. Other areas of study were Calvin Coolidge, War of the Roses, Balzac, General Armstrong Custer, Oswald Chambers and St. Thomas Aquinas. Schuyler was well prepared for attending Palmyra Consolidated School. So much so that he was eager to start the hard work. He excelled at Nokomis High School, where he received an award of excellence in Shell Corporation’s Bicentennial Seniors Program. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at University of Maine, Orono, in history with highest honors and highest distinction. He was an active member of the honors program and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Lambda Delta, Phi Kappa, Phi and Phi Alpha Theta. He continued his education at University of Maine School of Law, where he received his law degree in 1983. He began his law career at the law office of Lowry and Platt, and was later a partner at the law firm of Brown and Steele. Both firms were in Portland. In 1991, he chugged up the tracks to Palmyra where he set up his law office in a converted Bangor and Aroostook refrigerator boxcar, a reefer car. In April 2009, Newport District Court hosted an appreciation celebration honoring Schuyler’s patience and respect of others. Other noted characteristics were his unflappability, courteousness, calmness and willingness to assist in general and especially during a crisis. Schuyler was perhaps most often characterized as a very intelligent person who was always reading and was never, ever without something to read, even if it was only the Weekly World News. His intellectual curiosity led to study in a wide variety of genders. He enjoyed everything from comic books to a multi-tome series on ancient Christian commentary. Schuyler was a member of Church of the Nazarene, Pittsfield; a founding member of Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; and a member of Medico-Legal Society. He was also a member of Meridian Splendor Masonic Lodge No. 49, AF & AM, Newport, Oak Island, Nova Scotia, Tourism Society and Three Stooges Fan Club. A heated debate was always enjoyed by Schuyler, as were videos, especially supermarination, Prince Edward Island, swords and guns, and walks in the woods with the dogs. A perfect day for Schuyler was enjoying a good cigar and reading at Flamingo Lounge, our front yard, with Cujo by his side. Cujo and Cleo, his childhood dog, have been waiting for Schuyler at the next stop. They will be as inseparable there as they’ve been here. Schuyler leaves at this great train station called earth, his wife, Joan K. (Paine) Steele of Anson; parents, Ronald J. and Terry (Garcelon) Steele of Palmyra; aunt, Joan Young of Dedham; and many cousins. He also leaves his wife’s large family, many of whom he came to call friends. The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Friday, March 12, at Shorey-Nichols Funeral Home, 191 Hartland Ave., Pittsfield. A funeral service will be held 2 p.m. March 13 at Church of the Nazarene, 200 Central St., Pittsfield, with the Rev. Pete Griffin officiating. Interment will be one fine day in the spring at Sawyer Cemetery, Route 7, Plymouth. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to Church of the Nazarene, 200 Central St., Pittsfield, ME 04967. To leave a message of kindness for the family, please visit www.shoreynichols.com. <
SCHUYLER G. STEELE
