The daily sentinel., 1914-04-15
VALLEY PIONEER
LOSES IN BITTER
BATTLE FOR LIFE.
Active Lodgemdn and Prominent
Citizen; Was Dying For
the Past Three Days.
FUNERAL HELD NEXT SATURDAY

After an illness which has .
covered more than four months. .
Oliver =. Morton Steel. promi- .
= nent citizen and pioneer. passed .
y away this morning at the home Q
. Of NJ. ID. Claypool. S57 White .
= avenue. Neuritis and kidney .
diseases were the causes of his .
. death. .
. ~>><> >>>>H>
For three days Mr.. Steel had been
in dying condition. Alternate peri
DDS of sinking and raIlyings marked
his illness. but those who attended
mis- bedside knew that II was only u
matter Of hours until the stubbornly
resisting body must succumb to the
raYages of disease. Death came at
l0:3U clock as fatal sleep from
which there Is no awakening stole
over the wasted frame and he qui-
etly breathed his last. He was ra-
tional a short time before his death,
and knew that his moments were
numbered With the same courage
Gus. unbroken spirit which marked
his eventful life. Mort" Steel went
into that Unknown Land which des-
tiny has set for her own.
For eleven years o. p. NJ. Steel
county and during that period was an
active figure in politics. He served
under Henry Nichols. John b. Mann
and Reuben T.. Starr and was well
known as an able and conscientious
official whose public service was as
clean as his private life. The de-
ceased was well known, too for his
activities in lodge circles. He was
Mason and an Odd Fellow. and the
services will be held under the
auspices of the latter order. He was
a past grand of his old Missouri
lodge. and since his residence in
Grand Junction has always been an
active Odd Fellow. Mrs. Steel. his
widow is past president of the
Colorado Rebekah assembly.
Mr.. Steel was - years of age. He
was born in Ohio. but with his par
ents removed to Missouri at an early
age Thirty years ago he went to
eastern Colorado, but returned after
two years residence. From Lathrop.
Mo-. he came to Grand Junction six
teen years ago. and has resided here
since that time He was employed
Mt the fruit growers association, the
Ramey-Perce Lumber Company and
the railroad shops until the elect on
of Henry Nichols as county clerk.
when he began mis- service in that
office.
After his resignation 3 years ago
following the election of Charles s.
Jones, Mr.. Steel engaged in the feed
business, but later disposed of his
interests and took up his residence
on his ranch northwest of the city.
Brought to Town.
In February his condition became
.srhs
visable to return to Grand Junction.
and since that time the Steels have
made their residence with the Clay
pools.
The patients general condition
steadily declined. and the many
friends who visited the sick man re-
allied that no mortal aid was likely
to save him from the malady that
continually drained his vitality and
weakened his powers of resistance.
Mrs. Steel, worn out by the long
period of nursing her husband. is
prostrated. The family have receiv-
ed today scores of expressions of con-
dolence and sympathy from their
MANY friends in the community
The deceased is survived by his two
sons=Hugh. who was with him at the
last, and Guy, former high school
boy. who is now practicing dentistry
in Springfield. Mo. Two brothers in
Ohio and another in Missouri have
been notified.
Mort Steel was man of dominant
personality. strong in his likes and
dislikes. and unshaking in his devo-
tion to principle or friend He
was. previous to his Illness a man OF
unusual physical strength. vigorous
in mind and body He has literally
hundreds. of friends. who have. rem
dered the family many courtesies dur
ing his last illness. testifyine to the
high esteem in which Mr.. Steel was
held in the community.