Person Page - 631

     Joel W. Steely was born on 13 November 1870, Bennington Township, Black Hawk County, IA.¹ He was the son of John M. Steely and Mary Ann Haffa.¹ Joel W. Steely married Katherine Vesta Daniel, daughter of Elias Paul Daniel and Amelia Klinger, on 15 April 1903, Black Hawk County, IA.^1,2
Newspaper obituary:
Joe Steely Dies; Was Councilman
Joel W. Steely, 88, of 130 Byrnes Dr., former Waterloo city councilman, died at 12:55 p.m. Tuesday at Allen Memorial hospital of carcinoma.
He had been ill for about a year and had been at the hospital for various period of time since then. He was again taken to the hospital shortly after noon Tuesday and his death occurred less than 45 minutes later.
Mr. Steely was a retired druggist. He served as a member of the Waterloo city council from 1928 to 1936. For 35 years he was a director of the Perpetual Savings and Loan Association, a position he held at the time of his death.
He was one of the children of John M. and Marie Steely and was born on November 13, 1870, on the Bennington township farm where his parents had settled a year earlier.
He and his twin brother, John H. Steely, moved to Waterloo with their parents in 1886.
Identical twins, they were graduated from pharmacy school in Highland Park College, Des Moines, about 1895.
Joel Steely then operated a drug store in Bristow for several years while John served as a pharmacist for a drug store in Eldora.
In 1898, they purchased a durg store in Eldora, and operated it in partnership until 1908 when they returned to Waterloo. John Steely died seven years ago.
Joel was married in Waterloo in 1903 to Vesta Daniel. She preceded him in death by 5 years.
He was a member of Grace Methodist Church; also of Waterloo Lodge 105, A.F. & A.M. and of the Knights Templar.
Mr. Steely is survived by a daughter, Mrs. W.C. Peterson of 450 Kingbard Blvd; two older brothers; Harry, 98 years old, now at the Lutheran Home in Cedar Falls, and Ellsworth M, 96, of 523 Campbell ave; a younger sister, Mrs. Cora Paul of 549 Sunset Dr; three grandsons, and one great grandchild.
Funeral services are pending at the Parott & Wood funeral home.
Memorials may be sent to the Boy Scouts for the Ray S. Paul Boy Scout Memorial fund.
The Courier (Waterloo, Iowa), 17 Mar 1959, Tue, Page 19.^3,4
Joel W. Steely died on 17 March 1959, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA, at age 88.¹ He was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA.⁵

     John M. Steely was born on 11 July 1837, Berks County, PA.¹ He married Mary Ann Haffa on 7 February 1858, Schuylkill County, PA.¹
Newspaper obituary:
JOHN M. STEELY, EARLY SETTLER, DIES AT AGE 91
Came to Bennington Township in 1869; Builder of Homes, Bridges.
John M. Steely, who settled on a farm in Bennington township in 1869 and experienced the life of an early resident of the county, died at 1:30 a. m. today at his home, 210 Franklin street, in his ninety-second year. He had been in his bedfast since May 30, last, altho suffering from no organic disease.
Born in Berks county, Pa., July 11, 1837, Mr. Steely the carpenter's trade. He came to Bennington township in 1868, but did not move to his farm in section 10 until the following spring. His first year in this county was devoted to carpentry. Later he built many homes and constructed many wooden bridges in Bennington township and vicinity.
Broke Virgin Prairie.
When the family moved here in the Spring of 1869, that portion of Bennington township was virgin prairie. It was necessary to break the sod. Jacob Teisinger, a young man, did much of work and A. W. and H. H. Steely, the older sons, helped dig out the "[sod]. . .." The farm was 12 miles from Waterloo, and most of the way in the earlier days was over trails. Often Crain creek was forded in time of high water.
In 1869 Mr. Steely and his brother-in-law, John Haffa, went to Naperville, Ill., bought 10 head of horses and brought them to this county for use in farming operations. The return trip required about a week's time. The horses were driven and led overland.
Bennington township began that year to be settled rapidly. Five or six families moved in to farms near the Steely place.
Married, in 1858.
On Feb. Mr. Steely married Miss Mary Haffa, a sister of A. W.
Haffa, 427 Second street east, an early-day contractor and builder of Waterloo. She died about 10 years ago. The family moved from the farm to Waterloo in 1886. In 1872 Mr. Steely united with the Evangelical church. Later he changed his membership to Grace Methodist Episcopal church. He was the last survivor of a family of four and four daughters.
Surviving are seven sons and 8 daughter, A. W., H. H., E. M., J. H., and J. W. Steely, and Mrs. Cora Paul, all of Waterloo, and D. O. and N. H. Steely, Doland, S. D. Twenty grandchildren and 29 greatgrandchildren also survive.
The body is at the Hileman & Gindt undertaking a parlors. Funeral Thursday services will be at 2:30 p. m. Thursday at Grace M. E. church, Dr. Roy Leslie Smith, pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Fairview.
The Courier, August 28, 1928, Page 20.²
John M. Steely died on 28 August 1928, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA, at age 91.¹

     Mary Ann Haffa was born on 24 January 1839, Klingerstown, Schuylkill County, PA.^1,2 She married John M. Steely on 7 February 1858, Schuylkill County, PA.¹ Mary Ann Haffa died on 22 January 1918, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA, at age 78.^1,2
Newspaper obituary:
Mrs. J.M. Steely died at her home, 210 Franklin street at 10 p.m. yesterday. Mrs. Steely had been an invalid for six years from paralysis. Sunday she suffered another stroke, from which she failed to rally.
Mary Ann Haffa was born Jan. 24, 1837, in Schuylkill county, Pa. She was married to J.M. Steely in February 1858, and in the spring of 1869 they came to Iowa and settled on a farm in Bennington township. After 18 years of farming they moved to Waterloo and since resided at 210 Franklin street.
Decedent is survived by her husband, 8 children: A.W., H.H., E.M., J.H., J.W. and Mrs. A.D. Paul, Waterloo; D.O., York, Neb; and N.H. Dolan, S.D; 19 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. She is also survived by two brothers, A.W. and Dan Haffa, and a sister, Mrs. George Arends, Waterloo; two sisters in Pennsylvania and a brother in Kansas.
Funeral services will be at the home Friday at 2 p.m. Rev. C.R. Bair, assisted by Rev. E.J. Lang, will be in charge. Burial will be in the mausoleum, Fairview.
Waterloo Evening Courier, Wednesday, January 23, 1918.³
She was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA.²

     Vera Amelia Steely was born on 17 November 1904, Eldora, Hardin County, IA.^1,2 She was the daughter of Joel W. Steely and Katherine Vesta Daniel.¹ Vera Amelia Steely married Wilbur Clinton Peterson, son of Charles Peterson and Matena Young, on 31 August 1929, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA.^1,3 Vera Amelia Steely died on 2 January 1997, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA, at age 92.¹ She was buried on 4 January 1997, at Fairview Cemetery, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA.²
Newspaper obituary:
WATERLOO -- Vera A. Peterson, 92, of Friendship Village, died there Thursday, Jan. 2, of natural causes.
She was born Nov. 17, 1904, in Eldora, daughter of Joel W. and Katie Vesta Daniel Steely. She married Wilbur Clinton Peterson on Aug. 31, 1929, in Waterloo; he died May 8, 1989.
Mrs. Peterson graduated from Cornell College in 1927.
Survived by: three sons, Wilbur D. of Salem, S.C., Joel S. of New Bern, N.C. and John C. of Knoxville, Tenn; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Services: were 11 a.m. Saturday at Locke Funeral Home, with burial in Fairview Cemetery.
Memorials: may be directed to Goodwill Industries or Friendship Village Auxiliary.
The Courier (Waterloo, Iowa), 05 Jan 1997, Sun, Page 20.²

     Wilbur Clinton Peterson was born on 19 January 1903, Oakland, Burt County, NE.^1,2 He was the son of Charles Peterson and Matena Young.¹ Wilbur Clinton Peterson married Vera Amelia Steely, daughter of Joel W. Steely and Katherine Vesta Daniel, on 31 August 1929, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA.^1,3 Wilbur Clinton Peterson died on 8 May 1989, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA, at age 86.¹
Newspaper obituary:
Wilbur C. Peterson
Services for Wilbur C. Peterson, 86, of Friendship Village, will be 11 a m. Wednesday at Parrott & Wood Funeral Home with burial in Fairview Cemetery.
He died of natural causes Monday (May 8) at Covenant Medical Center at Kimball Avenue.
He was born Jan. 19, 1903, in Oakland, Neb., son of Charles and Matina Young Peterson. He married Vera A. Steely on Aug. 31, 1929, in Waterloo.
He graduated from the University of Nebraska. He was a journalist for 25 years with The Associated Press. In 1937, he owned the Cedar Falls Daily Record. In 1955, he bought a major interest in the Weston-Barnett Ad Agency in Waterloo. He sold the business and retired in 1968.
Survivors include his wife; three sons, Wilbur D. of Cincinati, Ohio, Joel S. of Simsbury, Conn., and John C. of Knoxville, Tenn; eight grandchildren; and two sisters, Florence Secord and Gladys Peterson, both of Lincoln, Neb; he was preceded in death by a brother and two sisters.
Friends may call from 3 to 9 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to services Wednesday at the funeral home, where the family will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. today.
Memorials may be made to Grace Methodist Church, the United Way, or the Friendship Village Medical Center Auxiliary.
The Courier (Waterloo, Iowa), 09 May 1989, Tue, Page 7.²
He was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA.^2,4

     Charles Peterson was born in 1860.¹ He died in 1909.¹ He married Matena Young on 31 August 1929, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA.

     Matena Young was born in 1873.¹ She married Charles Peterson on 31 August 1929, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA. Matena Young died in 1951.¹

     Myrtle Marie Phillips was born on 6 July 1934, Leesburg, VA.¹ She died on 22 August 2009, Pittsboro, Chatham County, NC, at age 75.²

     Joan Angela Blewitt was born on 5 September 1935, Bronx, NY.¹ She was the daughter of Roy Erwin Blewitt and Mary Teresa Malloy.² Joan Angela Blewitt died on 25 September 2017, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Virginia Beach, VA, at age 82.²
Funeral home obituary:
Joan Angela Blewitt Peterson
September 5, 1935 - September 25, 2017
Joan Angela Blewitt Peterson died in her sleep at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Virginia Beach on Monday, September 25, 2017 at the age of 82. Joan is survived by her husband, Joe, her five children, Susan Peterson Fetter, Jay Peterson, Pete Peterson, John Peterson and Scott Peterson as well as her grandchildren Jennifer, Michael, Amy, Samantha, Rachel, Taylor, Jacob, Eliza, Daniel, Kate, Luke, Jack, Erin, Eileen, Mary, Steven, Kelly, and Sean. She was preceded in death by her sister Virginia Schlotman and her brothers Roy and Donald Blewitt. Joan was born in the Bronx on September 5, 1935. She graduated from Mount St. Ursula Academy High School in the Bronx 1952 and Seton Hill University in 1956 with a degree in mathematics. She earned her master's degree in mathematics from Catholic University in 1958 and began teaching at the College of New Rochelle before working for Texaco research. She met Joel Steely Peterson in 1959. Despite being as fine a combination as oil and water, sparks flew instantly and they quickly became engaged. They were married in the Bronx in 1960, despite being told their relationship was doomed to failure, they enjoyed a fabulous 57 years of marriage. Joan was a few credits short of earning her Ph.D. in mathematics when Susan Elizabeth was born in 1961. She was quickly followed by Jay, Pete, John and Scott. After being a wonderful stay-at-home mother for 15 years, in Ohio, Texas and New England, Joan spent the next decade as a real estate agent in Simsbury, Connecticut. Having conquered mothering and housing sales, Joan and Joe retired to New Bern, North Carolina in 1996, where they spent the happiest years of their lives, sipping cocktails while watching others play golf. They moved to Virginia Beach in 2015. A wake for Joan is scheduled for Wednesday, from 4:00 - 7:00 at H. D. Oliver Funeral Home. The funeral will be at Star of the Sea Catholic Church on Thursday at 11:30 AM, followed by a reception at Atlantic Shores from 1:00-6:00. More than anything, Joan loved to tell stories about her family while enjoying a Manhattan. So nothing would have pleased her more than everyone she loves gathered together, enjoying a drink and saluting her with one final toast. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joans name are suggested to the Alzheimers Association or the American Heart Association.³

     Susan Elizabeth Peterson was born on 4 October 1961, Akron, Summit County, OH.¹ She was the daughter of Joel Steely Peterson and Joan Angela Blewitt.¹