North Bay Steele Family - circa 1953

Back Row: Gordon Steele, Bill Brantom, Jack Steele, Emerson Steele, Lloyd Steele, George Otto, Don Ryan
Third Row: Annie (MacPherson) Steele, Esther Prescott, Gertrude (Boire) Steele, Jacklyn MacLean, Clara (Chiasson) Steele, Maureen Ryan, Wayne Ryan
Second Row (Seated): Myrtle (Steele) Brantom, Evelyn (Steele) MacLean, Edythe (Orr) Steele, William Arthur Steele, Helen (Steele) Otto, Jessie (Steele) Ryan,
Kids in The Front: David Brantom, Bonnie Brantom, Darwin Ryan, George Steele, Sandi Steele, Jackie Steele, Keith Ryan
Missing from Photo: Kenneth Ray Steele

The Story

William Arthur STEELE was the second child of John Douglas STEELE and Mary Melissa ZUFELT; born in 1881 in Hastings County, Ontario. Edythe Margaret ORR was the 5th child of Samuel ORR and Emma Mabel BLAIR, born in 1886 in Trenton, Ontario. They were married in 1908 in Hastings County and moved to North Bay in 1908 or 1909. William worked for the Canadian Pacific Railways (CPR) and Edythe was a loving homemaker, who raised 10 children.

They lived at 795 Morin Street and in the early days there were very few houses built in that area. There were several farms in the area which provided before and after school work for the boys.

During World War II Gordon joined the Canadian Forestry Corps and Kenneth joined the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC). They both served overseas during the war. After the war Gordon took up his civilian career and Kenneth remained in the Army and served in the Korean conflict.

Over the years most of William and Edythe's children remained in the North Bay area and raised families of their own. Many of the Grandchildren also remained in the North Bay area and raised their families.