The life of WD "Sonny" Steele Jr. came to an end on the morning of March 2, 2024. He was 83 years old.

WD was born July 7, 1940, to Ruby and Dallas Steele in the farming community of Chatfield, Texas.  He attended schools in Bardwell, Texas and Avalon, Texas and graduated from Avalon High School in the Class of 1958.  His future wife, Linda Rinehart, was named the Valedictorian of the Class of 1958.  WD was quick to remind her and everyone that their class was made up of only seven students so in reality, they all graduated in the Top Ten.

Linda Rinehart and WD Steele Jr. were married on July 11, 1958, in Avalon, Texas.  They were married for 65 years, having three children along the way—Lisa in 1959, Ricky in 1962, and Randy in 1963. They shared 6 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.  They lived in multiple places, including Ft. Worth, Waxahachie, and Avalon before eventually settling in Lewisville, Texas on June 28, 1970.

WD Steele Jr. was a "Jack of all trades" as he was part electrician, engineer, mechanic, and metal fabricator.  He could diagnose, build, and fix almost anything mechanical.  As a young boy, he loved fishing and hunting and as an adult, he passed the love of these activities onto his children.  He also loved watching and cheering on the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Mavericks.

WD had a life-long passion for cars and trucks could build them from start to finish, bumper to bumper.  He developed a big reputation in the DFW area for building quality hot rods and drag racing cars.  WD drag raced all over North Texas and in Oklahoma.  It seemed that his mind never stopped working and he loved spending time hunting, in his shop, or at a dragstrip.

WD was preceded in death by his wife Linda Carlene Steele, his parents, Ruby Long Steele and William Dallas Steele, sister Ruby Anita Grammer, and granddaughter Kayla Greenway.  He is survived by his daughter Lisa and her life partner Bernard Guinard, son Ricky and wife Judy, son Randy and wife Jennifer, grandchildren Gary Hatfield, Susan Uptmor, Dusty and wife Marcia Greenway, Banner Steele, Peyton Steele, great grandchildren Zoey Chow, Parker Lamb, Alyvia Greenway, and Liam Greenway, and sister Kay Lynn Seabolt.

WD Steele Jr. will be forever missed by all who knew and loved him.

A service to celebrate WD's life will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5, 2024, at Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home in Lewisville, Texas.