Inc. 1967
Ralph Mitchell Steen of Dunlevy,a veteran newspaper figure as well as a chronicler of Mid-Mon Valley history,died suddenly Wednesday,Aug. 7,1996,at his home. Born Dec. 4,1919,in Belle Vernon,he was a son of the late R. Mitchell Steen Sr. and Leah Wells Steen. He was a lifelong Valley resident,having resided in North Belle Vernon,Lynnwood,Charleroi,Monessen and for the past 20 years in Dunlevy. Well-known throughtout the Valley,Mr. Steen,who liked to be called "Mitch",had worked for 35 years as a journalist,all that time for the Monessen based Valley Independent,and its predecessor, the Daily Independent. He retired Jan. 1,1985,having served in many editorial capacities and as managing editor for his last 11 years. Recently,he returned to the Valley Independent as author of Backward Glances,a weekly column about the history of the Mon Valley. After his retirement,he was a free-lance writer,often published in the Greensburg-based Ttribune Review,as well as a number of national publications. He was educated in the Belle Vernon public schools,graduating from Belle Vernon High School in 1937. He continued his education by enrolling at Penn State University,but after completing one year was inducted into the US. Army. He served for most of the following five years,spending three years in the South Pacific, in New Guinea and the Philippines. When the war in the Pacific ended in August 1945, Mr. Steen was in Manila preparing for the invasion of Japan. Instead, he was reassigned for discharge,arriving home in San Francisco on Thanksgiving Day, 1945. He re-enrolled at Penn State,graduating with a bachlor of arts degree in journalism in 1949. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Belle Vernon. He had been a member of many organizations,including VFW Post 1190 of Monessen,for which he served as adjutant; American Legion Post 28 of Monessen,Monessen Elks Lodge 773,Western Pennsylvania Historical Association,Charleoi Rotary Club,in which he was chosen as a Paul Harris Fellow, Charleroi Area School Board Authority,United Way of Mon Valley and many others. On May 5,1950,he married Hope Lucille Williamson,who survives. Also surviving are two sisters, Virginia Carroll of Charleroi and his twin sister,Millicent Steen of Dunlevy. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, William O. "Bud" Steen and Samuel J. Steen. Friends will be received Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. in the Ferguson Funeral Home Inc.,700 Broad Ave.,Belle Vernon,where services will be held Saturday at 12:30 p.m. with the Rev. Ross S. Bash of the First Presbyterian Church of Belle Vernon officiating. Burial will be in Belle Vernon Cemetery. The Ferguson Funeral Home Inc. is in charge of arrangements.
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