Richard Aubrey Steele

Richard Aubrey Steele, 79, of Fort Worth and formerly of Pampa, passed away on Monday, September 15, 2025 in Fort Worth.

Memorial graveside services will be 3:00 PM Saturday, October 4, 2025 at Fairview Cemetery with John Curry officiating. Cremation and arrangements are under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors and Crematory.

Richard was born on January 22,1946 to Margaret Irby Eikner and Aubrey Leroy Steele at the Jarrett Hospital in Pampa, Texas. He was a lifelong Pampa resident until four years ago when he moved to Fort Worth, Texas to be closer to family. He was also a 75-year member of First United Methodist Church of Pampa.

Richard attended Sam Houston Elementary School and Robert E. Lee Junior High before graduating from Pampa High School in 1964. He continued his education at West Texas State University where he received both his BA and M.Ed in art history, art education, educational counseling, and special education counseling.

Richard’s educational assignments in Pampa included serving at Baker, Horace Mann, Stephen F. Austin, and Woodrow Wilson elementary schools, as well as Pampa Junior High and Pampa High School. He most often worked in the special education departments of those schools. His quiet manner, strength, and understanding brought success in helping students with special needs.

His last assignment was at Pampa Learning Center where he found his true calling as he served there for over twenty years, first as a counselor and then as the director. Bright Beginnings, begun as childcare for student parents, was an integral part of his nurturing attention which provided care to newborns through three years old. His leadership at PLC guided the campus through its many challenges as it transitioned among three different physical locations. For his devotion to working with at-risk students he was nominated by his staff and selected by the Texas Association of Alternative Schools as Administrator of the Year for the state of Texas for 2005. He absolutely loved his tenure at PLC and considered it the highlight of his career. He thoroughly enjoyed his students and staff who can attest to the fact that he was the first person to arrive each day and the last to leave. This was Richard’s last position with PISD from which he retired with 40 years in education.

Richard was also an artist. He taught art at Amarillo Independent School District for four years. Watercolor was his preferred medium though he often painted in oils and acrylics. Richard’s creativity often found him using a variety of textures and materials in his work. In his younger days he was a featured artist in a Taos, New Mexico gallery.

He is preceded by his son, Richard Joshua Steele; his parents; Jane’s parents, Leny and Jack Howard; his sister, Linda (Steele) Perry; and dear family friend, JoAnn T Jones.

He is survived by his wife, Ellen Jane (Howard) Steele, who he began dating when he was 16 and she was 15. They have been together for over 60 years and married on November 24, 1967. Also left to celebrate his life are his daughter and son-in-law, Ellen Ruth and Drew Jeffus Wedemeyer of Fort Worth, Texas; his grandson, Joshua Grant Wedemeyer, and his granddaughters, Aubrey Ellen Wedemeyer and Charley Ruth Wedemeyer, all of Fort Worth, Texas; Jane’s sister and brother-in-law, Jackie (Howard) and Gene Hess, Amarillo, Texas, and their children and families. He also leaves behind his life-long, special friends, John and Faustina Curry, and Sam McClelland of Palm Springs, California.

For those who wish to send a memorial, please consider Pampa Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), an organization for which he drove many miles to help save unwanted animals. Please spay and neuter your animals