Steele, Robert D. (Robert Denham), 1901-1972.

Robert Denham Steele was born January 26, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, where he received a Bachelor of Science in 1922. He attended Princeton Theological Seminary earning his Bachelor of Theology degree in 1926. He attended the University of Edinburgh in Scotland from 1928-1929. In 1939, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho.

From 1922-1923, Steele was a coach and teacher of science at the high school at California, Pennsylvania. In May 1926, after graduating from the Princeton Theological Seminary, Steele was ordained a Presbyterian minister, and served as pastor for the churches in Ridgebury, Centerville and Denton, New York. From 1927-1928, he was a pastor at Webb Horton Memorial Presbyterian Church in Middletown, New York.

In 1928, Steele married Elizabeth Louise Reherd, the only child of Westminster College President Herbert Reherd. They had two sons: R. David and James R. Steele, each of whom would go on to become Presbyterian ministers. Robert Steele was called to Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was the director of Christian Education and assistant pastor until 1934.

Toward the end of 1934, Steele became vice president of Westminster College, two years later associate president, and finally president and trustee in 1939. Westminster College suffered a great deal from the later depression years during President Steele's term and the college came very close to closing, but Dr. Steele worked hard by maintaining good public relations and active fund raising in order to keep it open. The Science Building was constructed and the Dane Hansen Memorial Building dedicated during Steele's term as president (1939-1952).

After resigning as Westminster College president, Dr. Steele went on to become the 9th president (1952-1967) of Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Robert D. Steele died of a heart attack in 1972 at the age of 71.

Robert Denham Steele was born January 26, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, where he received a Bachelor of Science in 1922. He attended Princeton Theological Seminary earning his Bachelor of Theology degree in 1926. He attended the University of Edinburgh in Scotland from 1928-1929. In 1939, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho.

From 1922-1923, Steele was a coach and teacher of science at the high school at California, Pennsylvania. In May 1926, after graduating from the Princeton Theological Seminary, Steele was ordained a Presbyterian minister, and served as pastor for the churches in Ridgebury, Centerville and Denton, New York. From 1927-1928, he was a pastor at Webb Horton Memorial Presbyterian Church in Middletown, New York.

In 1928, Steele married Elizabeth Louise Reherd, the only child of Westminster College President Herbert Reherd. They had two sons: R. David and James R. Steele, each of whom would go on to become Presbyterian ministers. Robert Steele was called to Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he was the director of Christian Education and assistant pastor until 1934.

Toward the end of 1934, Steele became vice president of Westminster College, two years later associate president, and finally president and trustee in 1939. Westminster College suffered a great deal from the later depression years during President Steele's term and the college came very close to closing, but Dr. Steele worked hard by maintaining good public relations and active fund raising in order to keep it open. The Science Building was constructed and the Dane Hansen Memorial Building dedicated during Steele's term as president (1939-1952).

After resigning as Westminster College president, Dr. Steele went on to become the 9th president (1952-1967) of Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Robert D. Steele died of a heart attack in 1972 at the age of 71.