Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-06-17
VETERAN TRUCKMAN
DIES IN HOSPITAL

Robert Steele, recently retired truck
man after half a century OF service
and one OF the most we'll known of the
older citizens of Middlebury, died at
the Mary Fletcher hospital in Burling
ton Saturday morning at 6 o'clock.
M. Steele had suffered a fall from his
wagon in April of last year, fracturing
a -lb and collarbone and receiving in
ternal injuries from which he never
fully recovered. His death is believed
to have resulted from that accident,
as il had been his boast that through
all the IS previous years Of his life he
had never been sick The funeral was
held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock
from the Blackmer mortuary parlor
Born in Peru, N. Y, in 1915, Mr.
Steele when a young man decided to
move away to fields of better oppor-
tun!ty. Possessed Of team of horses,
he rad no doubt but that somewhere
he would find his chance to establish
himself in business. He was 25 years
OF age, tall of stature and powerful OF
physique, when he drove up to the
door of Calvin Hill, then street COM
missioner of Middlebury, and applied
TO! work. After two years he had be-
come so well known that he decided
to sell one of his horses and use the
other in light trucking And for forty
eight years he served the merchants
OF Middlebury in that capacity. From
the beginning he enjoyed, the favor Of
the college students and for the nearly
hall a century until his forced retire
ment on account of inirmities, he car
riel their trunks to the dormitories
when first they came as freshmen and
back to the depot when last they left
as graduates The girls in particular
were fond of riding in his truck on his
frequent business trips up the hill, and
Rob was always glad to stop for them.
Rob Steele's popularity had been
shown in many ways. A plaster bust
of him as he appeared in his later
years, with flowing beard, has been an
ornament in many an "ndergrad'S
room, while his fidelity in humble
task has been eulogzed in p.ose and
verse by class after class during the
long term of his service. His fellow
townsmen too thought a great deal of
Rob On one occasion he was arrest
ed ior speeding with his horse and
truck Though Main street. The SYM
patny of his friends was Immediately
enlisted, and fund was quickly raised
for his legal defense when he was
brought to trial. One Of the most
famous criminal lawyers in the state
was obtained as counsel and Rob was
acouitted His feats of strength were
Often the marvel OF the county, and
a memory that he loved to recall when
an accident obliged him to drop the
rens of his familiar white horse for
ever.
n August of last year Mr. Steele re-
signed his horse and wagon to his son
and thought to recuperate his wasting
energies by rest at the home OF his
daughter in Castleton The accident
thai he had suffered in the preceding
Ap7.l when he fell from his wagon seat
was too severe strain on him how
ever, and he continued to fail percept-
IDLY He returned to Middlebury sew
eral months ago and a week before his
death was removed to the Mary
Fletcher hospital to obtain as much
relief as possible in his last hours.
His mind had failed him completely
and on Saturday he breathed his last
In his immediate family Mr. Steele
is survived by three sons, George Of
Mddlebury, Bert OF Waterbury and
William of Lowell, Mass, and two
daughters, Mrs. Henry Merit of New
York and Miss Mabel Steele Of Brigh-
ton Mass. His wife had died June 2
1920.
At the funeral Rev E. B. Holmes
pastor of St. Stephens Episcopal
church, officiated. The bearers were
George Brousseau, Edward Jones
Frank Shackett and Eugene Mayo
The interment was made in the West
cemetery.