CAMBRIDGE CITY- Estill L. Steele, 81, of Cambridge City, died Friday afternoon, May 11, 2012, at home, surrounded by his family. Estill was born in Jackson County, Kentucky on November 15, 1930 to Lester and Myrtle (York) Steele, the second oldest of 15 children. He lived in Kentucky and worked as a coal miner, before moving to Indiana to look for work at the age of 35. He retired from M & D, Cambridge City in the early 1990' s. He was a long-time member of the Cambridge City Church of Christ. His wife of more than 55 years, Helen Rae (Brandenburg) Steele, passed away in 2004. Estill enjoyed the great outdoors and spent many hours hunting, fishing and gardening; he painted oil pictures, carved wooden canes and did his own taxidermy work. He had only a third grade education and never obtained an Indiana driver's license, but he was very knowledgeable, kindhearted, generous and hard-working. He used to mushroom hunt and knew a great deal about wild plants, animals and other natural foods. He was very often referred to as Mr. Steele. Many local residents remember him as the man who reminds them of Santa Claus. He always wore a hat and had a long beard; he walked through town nearly every day for many years, waved at the school children as they rode by on the bus; and attended many, many ball games, handing out gum everywhere he went. He was very proud of the fact that he had seven brothers and seven sisters. Survivors include three children, Larry (Susan) Steele, Barbara Ann (Jerry) Hicks and Leon (Karen) Steele, all of Cambridge City; 12 grand-children - Jenny (Jeff) Pugh, Travis (Leslie), Jesse (Angie), Jarried, Elijah (Amy), Jonas (Ashley), Jordan (Amber), Brooke (Anthony) Foster, Cody (Krista), Tyler (Hayley), Mikayla, and Garrett Steele; and 9 great-grandchildren - Darian Pugh, Sidney, Morgan, Isaiah, Caleb, Ava, Emerson, Vincent and Kinleigh Steele; 6 sisters - Judy Reece of IN, Daphne Boggs, Eloise Worley, Sharon Lawson, Ruth Lane, and Rissa Perdue, all of KY; 7 brothers - Tony of FL, Rod of OH, Bill, Jack, Lowell, Jerry, and Gary Steele, all of KY. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Danny; sister, Avonelle Morris; wife Helen; and four brothers-in-law. In keeping with Estill's wishes, there was no calling; just a simple graveside service at Riverside Cemetery in Cambridge City at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 12 with Ralph Eldridge of Connersville officiating. Marshall & Erlewein Funeral Home, Dublin was entrusted with the arrangements.