James Michael Steele

Mr. James Michael (Mike) Steele, 65, of Kingsport, TN, formerly of Spencer, NC went to be with his Lord on Thursday, April 14, 2011, at Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast in Concord, NC, following an illness of several weeks Born June 1, 1945 in Rowan County to the late Louise DeBoe Steele and E. W. Steele; he was educated in Rowan County and set numerous football rushing records at the newly created North Rowan H. S. in the early 1960's as was featured recently in a Legends article in the Salisbury Post. He was awarded a scholarship and graduated from NC State University where he was a member of the '65 Wolfpack team that had recently been belatedly declared champions of the ACC for that year. Mike operated a sporting goods store in Salisbury in the 70's and later held management posts at Food Lion, Wal-Mart and Harris Teeter before retiring in 2003. Mike was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle and had a jovial spirit about him. In recent years he was honored to be on the board of Mustard Seed Ministries of Kingsport, TN. He became passionate about making and distributing his carved, wooden cross pendants as his special outreach ministry all over the world. Survivors are his wife Sally Lebair Steele; daughters, Jamie (Kevin) Pruitt of China Grove, NC, Christie (Dan) Page of Kingsport, TN and Heather (Robert) Greenleaf of Scott Depot, WV; step-sons, Samuel Lebair of Kingsport, TN and Harry Lebair of Memphis, TN, and step-daughter Lisa Lebair of Asheville, NC; sister Betty S. Morgan of China Grove, NC; nieces, Jodie (Michael) Conway of Salisbury, NC and Jennifer (Kirk) Hall, of China Grove, NC; grandchildren, Sarah and Zachary Pruitt, MacKenzie Greenleaf, Daniel and Sydney Page as well as step-grandchildren, Simon and Sally Lebair; great-nephew, Aidan Hall and great-niece, Ella Conway and his beloved dachshund, Bacall. Mr. Steele will be cremated. The family will receive friends beginning at 2:00 pm Saturday, April 23, 2011 at Colonial Heights Christian Church, 105 Meadow Lane, Kingsport, TN 37663 and a memorial service will follow at 3:00 pm at the church. Memorials may be sent to Mustard Seed Ministries, 214 East Wanola Avenue, Kingsport, TN 37660.