Richard J. “Dick” Steele

Steele, Richard J. of Weymouth, died March 29, 2020 at the age of 82.

Richard “Dick” was born in Boston to the late Anne and James Steele. He graduated from Brookline High School and Northeastern University. Dick worked for Weymouth Public Schools from 1961 to 1998 first as a teacher, and then as a principal. He was the beloved husband of the late Barbara A. (Manning) Steele and the loving father of his four children: Richard Steele of Halifax, Gregory Steele of Weymouth, David Steele of Andover, and Robin Steele of Weymouth. He also leaves behind his beloved girlfriend and partner Peg Dougherty of Weymouth. He has ten grandchildren: Christine, Jeanne, Katie, D.J. and Lyndsey of Richard and Jeanne Steele, Gregory, Ryan, and Kelly of Greg and Mary Saint Steele, Erika and Corey of David and Debbie Steele.  He also has eight great grandchildren. He is survived by his sister Lucy Quinn and her husband Jack of Dedham.  He was predeceased by his other siblings: James Steele, Mary Browne, Reginald Steele, John Steele, and Donald Steele.

“There’s no substitution for hard work,” was his lifelong philosophy. He was known to hold down two or three jobs at any given time. As a boy, he delivered newspapers, mowed lawns, and worked at Leo’s general store in Brookline. A 1956 graduate of Brookline High School, he was an accomplished athlete. As a starting full back on the football team, he was a member of the 1954 Class A state football championship team. That was the year Brookline beat Weymouth 37 – 6. In his senior year, Dick was captain of the baseball team. The first in his family to go to college, Dick attended Northeastern University. He married his high school sweetheart, Barbara Manning, earned his bachelor’s degree, landed his first teaching job, and became the father of three sons and a daughter by the time he was 25 years old. Later, he also earned a Masters Degree, and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (C.A.G.S.) also from Northeastern. His first position as an educator was in Weymouth in 1961 as a teacher of history and literature. He moved his family to Weymouth soon after. He worked additional jobs at MIT (security, where he once met John Glenn) and later at the Richardsons’ estate in Brookline (where he enjoyed landscaping). Dick became an assistant principal and by 1966, was hired, at age 28, as principal of East Junior High School.  He commandeered that ship for many years, including navigating his teachers and students through the aftermath of a devastating fire that razed the entire school. The turbulent 70s passed with an oil crisis, war, protests, and streakers running through school hallways. Waves of change swept over Weymouth in the early 80s after the passage of Proposition 2 ½ when schools were closed and layoffs were abundant.  Dick was appointed assistant principal of Weymouth South High School in 1981. The following year he became principal of Weymouth South High remaining there through the 80s, until the doors closed in 1990 after populations shifted and schools were downsized.   His continued leadership through the consolidation of three senior high schools into one, Weymouth High/Vocational Technical High School, will always be greatly respected by his colleagues and the entire Weymouth community. From 1991 to 1998, he was the principal. He retired in 1998. Although he was serious about “getting the job done,” he had a soft spot for underdog students who struggled. There were copious stories told to his family by students to whom he gave second and third chances when others wouldn’t. They respected the man who kept them on track. After his retirement he took on a part-time job for the high school assisting at-risk students. Dick Steele influenced many. In his own family his son Richard and daughter Robin became public school teachers in the Silver Lake Regional School District. Also drawn to public school education were grandson Corey, a dean of students in Lawrence, and granddaughter Kelly, a history and psychology teacher at Marshfield High School. His daughter-in-law Mary was also a teacher in Weymouth at the elementary level.  Education has been the family business for three generations. Dick loved to travel to the Afton Road on Prince Edward Island to see his grandmother’s farmhouse and visit with aunts and cousins. In the 1970s, he first saw The Old Man of the Mountain and fell in love with New Hampshire. Years later, after what seemed like “splurging” on a condo in North Woodstock, spending time with family in the White Mountains brought him great joy.  He also loved collecting paintings by artist Thom Dunlay, a former student of his. Although he could seem strict or stern in his role as principal (and father), his true nature proved that he had quite a wit that was appreciated by all who knew him well. He often sang silly songs to make his children and grandchildren laugh. He was always there for his family and friends.  He was a great educator, a great father, a great friend, and a great person. For the past ten years, he and his girlfriend, Peg, left their home in Weymouth to winter on Marco Island, Florida, trading the cold New England winters for Gulf Coast warmth and comfort. It was a time to relax and catch up with old friends. Surely, he is wasting no time catching up with some of his old friends and family right now.

Normally, the funeral is an opportunity for the community to gather in support of one another. Although we cannot gather together with Dick’s family at this time, friends may still offer their support by sharing a special memory or message by clicking the link above.

A celebration of life will be held in the future for family and friends. At that time the family plans to establish a memorial scholarship in his name.