George Brunt Steele, 91, died peacefully Sept. 16, 2010, in Idaho Falls with his two sons by his side. George was born July 2, 1919, in Iona to William George Steele Jr. and Violet Grace (Brunt) Steele. He grew up on his parents' farm, the middle child of seven. He graduated from Iona High School where he was senior class president and a start player on the "Iron Men" basketball team that came from nowhere to win the first State Class B Tournament. "We were such a nave bunch of country boys it took us a while to realize what we had done," George recalled 50 years later. In the final game, he accumulated a tournament-record of 32 points. He went on to play basketball first for the University of Idaho Southern Branch, (now Idaho State University) then for the University of Idaho where he graduated with a degree in agriculture. He planned to return to the family farm and "set some records in potato and sugar beet growing," as he stated in a 1942 interview for The Oregonian, but World War II intervened. He joined the U.S. Navy in August of 1944 and married Tressa Jean Smith of Idaho Falls the following November. At the end of the war, he and Tress returned to Idaho Falls. They had two sons, Richard and John, and were married for 49 years until her death in 1994. George owned Park Avenue Warehouse Furniture until his retirement at 65. In the late 1970's, he expanded his business to the Sun Valley area, where he and his family owned a second home, furnishing many condominiums there. He was a founding member of the Idaho Falls Country Club and a longtime member of Rotary Club. He was known for his honesty as a businessman, his skill as a hunter, fisherman, horseman, gardener, and cook, his more than passing resemblance to John Wayne and his kindness and elegance whether on a horse or in a tux. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife; his parents; his two sisters, Veda and Fay, who died in infancy; and five brothers, Fred, Kay, Keith, Jim and Ronald. He is survived by sons Richard (Judith) and John (Gayil); his granddaughter Morgan; his nephew and close friend Greg Burggraf; sisters-in-law Marjorie Burggraf, Joann (George) Lefferts and Maureen Steele; as well as many other nieces and nephews. He is also survived by many loving friends who are grieving with the family at his loss. The family wishes to thank the nurses and volunteers of Hospice of Eastern Idaho who were so good to George during his last months, as well as the caring staff of Lincoln Court. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 16, in the Rose Hill Cemetery, followed by a reception at his home, 463 Parkway Circle. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in George's name to Hospice of Eastern Idaho or the Greenbelt Project of the Parks Department.