Richard “Dick” Harley Steele, 80, of Dubuque, died Monday, September 18, 2023, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Visitation will be from 8:30 am until 10:15 am Saturday, September 30, 2023 at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home & Crematory.

The Funeral Service for Dick will be 10:30 am Saturday, September 30, 2023, at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home & Crematory with Pastor Kaity Kemp officiating.

Richard was born June 6, 1943, in Madison, WI, the son of Harley and Frances (Grimm) Steele. He graduated from Oregon High School in 1961 and married his high school sweetheart, Shirley Kuehni, on August 4, 1962. Dick & Shirley had three children and were happily married until she died on November 4, 1996.

On December 11, 1997, he married Karen Linder in Verona, WI. Dick and Karen enjoyed 25 years of marriage, traveling the world together.

Dick worked hard to provide for his family – often working more than one job as well as running his own carpentry business for fifty years. Dick was also a building inspector in both the Town of Springdale and the Town of Verona in Wisconsin.  He retired in 2016.

Dick loved music! He was a drummer for many years, sang in the church choir at times, and joined the bell choir with Karen.

The Church was a very important part of Dick’s life. He served on church councils, headed up a major building project, taught and participated in Sunday school classes, went on adult and youth mission trips, and was a member of the chancel committee at one for many years.  Dick also completed the Wisconsin UCC Lay Academy program.  At the time of death, he was a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ.

Dick enjoyed football and could be found rooting for the Green Bay Packers, the Badgers, and, yes, even sometimes the Hawkeyes.

Dick struck up conversations with new people everywhere he went, and he was always ready with a warm hug for family, friend, and stranger alike.

He is survived by his wife, Karen; one son, Tim (Tabitha) Steele of Blue Mounds, WI; two daughters, Tammy (Monte) Wagner of Janesville, WI, and Beth (Matt) Schlueter of Kimberly, WI; eight grandchildren, Brandi (Brian Hunt) Schumpert, Kira (LeRoy) Tlusty, Sam Walter, Richard Steele, and Christine, Angela, John, and Emily Schlueter; three great-grandchildren, Aalica Hunt, and LeRoy and Claire Tlusty; many nieces and nephews; and two sisters-in-law, Marlyn Linder and Lin Johnson.

Besides his first wife, Shirley, he was preceded in death by his parents, Harley and Frances; one sister, Georgia Smith; his father- and mother-in-law, Paul and Edna Kuehni; and mother-in-law, Katie Linder; two sisters-in-law, Caryl Gempler, and Norma Hoelscher; three brothers-in-law, Chuck Coker, Harris Gempler, and John Smith; three unborn grandbabies, Arin, Jennifer, and Benjamin Schlueter; lots of aunts and uncles and one niece, Debbie Fitch.

Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home and Crematory is in care of the arrangements.

A photo tribute can be viewed and condolences sent to the family by visiting Richard’s obituary at www.hskfhcares.com.