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Col William Frank Steer
Col Steer was born on Jan 12, 1901 at Agra, Oklahoma to Harry William Steer
(1870-1967) (
)() and Jessie Maud Landis (1873-1903). He
attended high school at Chandler. At 17, in May of 1918, during World War I,
he enlisted in the army as a volunteer serving 10 months in France. When
the war ended he received an appointment to West Point from James B.A. Robertson
(1871-1938) (), Oklahoma's forth governor. He was graduated from
West Point in 1925. Col Steer retired from the air force Jun 30, 1950 after 32
years of service. The last job he held was air provost marshal of the U.S. Air Force
in Washington, D.C.
Col Steer married Mabel Irene Killough (1903-1950) in 1925 at Chandler, Oklahoma.
They were divorced in Jun of 1946 at Reno, Nevada. And then the Colonel married
Doveline (Tootsie) Notley (1915-1998) () (
) on July 7, 1946 at Honolulu.
Col Steer taught math in the Blanchard school system from 1960 to 1963 (3 school
years). Everyone who was in his class remembers his "Pie-are-round, cornbread
are square" story. The 1963 Blanchard Lion Yearbook was dedicated to Col Steer.
Col William Frank Steer faded away on March 7, 2006 at Honolulu, Hawaii. He was
105 years of age.
On Apr 1, 1985 Doveline "Tootsie" Notley Steers (wife of Col William Frank Steer) was
interviewed by Iwalani Hodges at Kailua, Hawaii. At one point she talks about the movie
"Pearl", with Angie Dickinson, being about Col Steer. Here are excerpts from that interview.
—I was in Col Steer's math class my 8th grade year (1962-1963). I remember the
Col as being a no-nonsense kind of guy. I didn't learn as much about math as I
should have, but that's on me. I did, however, receive some important life lessons
which I still reflect on 55 years hence. Given all that I've leaned——through my
research—— about this great man, I didn't appreciate him near enough.
-Jay R. Mitchusson
Newspaper Articles
1925 Jun 27 - The Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, OKlahoma) - State Boy (William Frank Steer) Finishes Work At West Point.
1926 May 29 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - 2nd Lt. William F. Steer To Fort Sam Houston.
1933 Jul 22 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Lt. William F. Steer Transferred To Infantry School.
1940 Mar 22 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Captain William F. Steer Assigned To Hawaii.
1942 May 14 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Maj W.F. Steer Now Lt. Colonal
1943 Apr 16 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Col Steer Promoted.
1946 Jan 23 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Col William F. Steer Presented with the Oak Leaf Cluster for Legion of Merit.
1946 Feb 27 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Col Steer Denounces Wahlawa Bars.
1947 Jan 10 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Col Steer To Washington for New Assignment.
1947 Jan 11 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Col, Mrs Steer Leave for the Coast.
1947 Jun 10 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - The Steers Have Daughter.
1950 Aug 11 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Steers Returning To Make Home In Honolulu.
1950 Aug 14 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Col and Mrs. Steer Back From Mainland to Make Home.
1950 Oct 23 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Doveline Notley - The Gibson Girls.
1950 Dec 13 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - William F. Steers To Make Home Here.
1952 Apr 5 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Steers Welcome Their Third Daughter.
1953 Jun 6 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Doveline Steer, Jr. 6th Birthday Party.
1953 Jun 7 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Doveline Steer, Jr. 6th Birthday Party.
1954 Jun 18 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - William Steer To Franklin Life Convention.
1957 Jul 19 - The Daily Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, Ok) - Col William Frank Steer is against Hawaii Statehood.
1958 Aug 13 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Steer Family To Leave (Hawaii).
1959 Dec 27 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Where Are They Now?
1968 Jun 13 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Steers Return to Honolulu After 10 Years.
1971 Jun 22 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Doveline Steer, Jr. and Michael Buck Engagement
1971 Sep 6 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Doveline Steer, Jr. and Michael Buck Marriage
1998 Nov 4 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Plaque To Honor WWII Police
1998 Nov 12 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Kailua Man (Col William F. Steer) Awaits French Honor.
1999 Apr 9 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Yugoslavia Too Big A Bite Honored Vet (Col Steer) Says.
2001 Feb 8 - The Honolulu Star Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Col Steer's 100th Birthday
2001 Apr 22 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Mysterious Schofield Plot Filled With Untold Stories
2006 Mar 10 - The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) - Col William F. Steer Dies at 105 in Honolulu