Blaine Leon Steele

Blaine Leon Steele left this earth to again be with his wife and parents on April 16, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Services and Burial will be held in his honor on Thursday, April 23, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona, at Bunker Family Funerals and Cremation. Please contact the family for details.

Blaine has lived the past 2.5 years at Sherwood Village Assisted Living in Tucson, Arizona, not far from his daughter, Kimberly. The family is very grateful to the staff at Sherwood Village, his Nurse Practitioner, his Hospice Nurse, and Hospice of the West for their kindness and care of our father.

Blaine’s home was Mesa, the son of Ike Leon Steele, whose father, Thomas, homesteaded 40 acres on the northwest corner of Gilbert and McKellips Roads in 1907. Eventually, the sale of most of Ike’s 20 acres paid for Blaine and his two brothers to go on LDS missions. Blaine’s mother, Elaine, was a MacDonald - the granddaughter of the first mayor of Mesa, Alexander Findley MacDonald. Blaine was born on January 31, 1934, in the house that Alexander built on the corner of 1st and Mesa Drive. Blaine attended the old Lehi School until 8th grade, and then Mesa High School.

It was at Lehi Elementary School that Leon Jones became a mentor for Blaine and inspired him to one day become a coach and teacher. Blaine grew tall (6’6”) and strong from work on the family ranch. He enjoyed sports in High School - especially football. He went to early morning seminary class, was active in his church, involved in FFA and Boy Scouts.

After graduating from High School in 1952, Blaine worked picking citrus to earn enough money to attend Brigham Young University. But after one semester, he was out of money and came back home to Mesa. He then worked to earn money to go on a LDS mission. Ike supplemented Blaine’s earnings with the sale of some of his land, and away he went to serve the Lord in Virginia and North Carolina teaching the people

the gospel of Jesus Christ from 1954-1956.

Back home again, Blaine went back to work - this time at a cement plant making blocks. He worked all night at the cement plant, enrolled in classes at ASU during the day, then came home and slept until it was time to eat and go back to work. In 1958, he met Geraldine Allred, of Duncan, at an institute dance in Tempe. He was handsome and a good dancer. With persistence he grew on Geri until they were married in the Mesa Temple on July 19, 1959. We can all agree that Geri is the best thing that ever happened to Blaine!

When Blaine graduated from ASU with his degree in Secondary Physical Education, they made their home in Flagstaff, Arizona, from 1963-1992. He finished his Masters Degree at NAU, and taught PE, Health, and Science at East Flagstaff Junior High and Coconino High School. In the early years, he coached Jr. High football and basketball. During the summers, Blaine worked as a Park Ranger and Scout Camp Staff.

Blaine and Geri adopted and raised four children during their years in Flagstaff. They also helped to raise a grandson. Blaine served in church callings and especially enjoyed teaching Priesthood classes.

In 1992, they moved back to Mesa to care for Blaine’s parents. He was again in the home where he had helped dig out the basement as a teenager, and was thoroughly delighted to be there again, caring for the land, garden, and trees that his dad loved. Blaine did substitute teaching, worked out at Falcon Field, and began serving in the Mesa Temple. After the passing of Blaine’s parents, Blaine and Geri moved to East Mesa. Blaine grew a garden and fruit trees, continuing the legacy of his father. He also had a workshop built - especially tall just for him - and did wood working.

A highlight of their married life was serving two missions together for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They went to Portland Oregon (1/2004-7/2005) and Chicago South (6/2006-6-2007). Blaine really loved teaching the gospel in Oregon and taking care of the missionaries in Chicago.

In 2008, Blaine began experiencing some health problems and, several years later, so was Geri. They moved into Assisted Living for a year, then to Tucson to be closer to their daughter, Kimberly. Blaine and Geri lived a quiet life in Tucson from 2018 through the Covid Pandemic years of 2020-2023. He enjoyed the view of the apartment complex grounds and pool out his living room window, reading, and watching TV. In October, 2023, his beloved wife of 64 years passed away, requiring Blaine to move back into Assisted Living.

Blaine was a beloved resident during the last two and a half years of his life. He missed Geri terribly, but wasn’t alone because of the caring and friendly staff at Sherwood Village and the church members who came to visit and became his friends.

Blaine often expressed his love for his Savior, Jesus Christ. To the end, he was faithful and committed to the covenants he had made with his Father in Heaven. He was looking forward to seeing so many of his family members that he missed because they had gone on before him. As it was one of his favorite experiences in this mortal life, may he find joy in continuing to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others after death.

Blaine was predeceased by his parents, Ike and Elaine Steele; two brothers, Ron and Lynn Steele; his sister, Linda Steele Taylor; and a grandson, Kadence Quinn Steele. He is survived by his four children, Tami (and Phil) Mix of Artesia, NM; Brian (and Cynthia) Steele of Buckeye, AZ ; Ladd (and Lena) Steele of Glendale, AZ; Kimberly (and Edward) Williams of Tucson, AZ; his grandson, Brandon Ashcroft of West Jordan, UT; 16 other grandchildren; and 34 great-grandchildren with 1 expected He is also survived by one sibling, Phyllis Steele Jones of Thatcher, AZ.

Arrangements by Bunker’s Garden Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.