L. “Jim” Steele

L. “Jim” Steele passed away June 21, 2021 in Toccoa, GA after a long illness.

He is survived by Adele Steele, his dedicated wife of 46 years, sister Patti Kleinert of Alto, brother Charles Steele of Toccoa, son Captain Jimmy Galbreath of Mountain City, and many nieces and nephews.

He was born August 15, 1947 to Dr. L.J. and Maud Lee Hitt Steele in Toccoa GA.

He graduated from Stephens County H.S. and University of Georgia with a degree in Chemistry. He went directly in to a career in commercial construction, then retired from Gwinnett County Public School system after 38 years of service as their Chief Operations Officer.

He retired with the honor of having coordinated the building of new schools (97) in his career- more than any one other single person in the country.

His Facilities and Operations Division was responsible for transportation, fleet maintenance, grounds development and maintenance, all design, construction, budgeting, land acquisition of new schools and facilities, all remodeling and maintenance of existing properties, school safety, risk management, environmental and supply services, and the organization and implementation of all continuous quality inspiration and training. He was honored by the system by the dedication of “The Jim Steele Facilities and Operations Complex” to him and his team of 2,100 employees.

He had presented keynote speeches at several national and state conferences, and had taught classes on facilities management and operations and contract law for the Georgia School Superintendents’ Institute.

After completing the police academy, he became a deputized Gwinnett County sheriff and created the GCPS School Resource Officer program (school police). He was past president of the Georgia Police Officers’ Association.

He is past president of the Gwinnett Rotary Club and is a Paul Harris Fellow, in the Leadership Gwinnett class of 1991, and on the steering committee for many years, on the Board of Eastside Hospital for 20 years, on the design and planning committee for the J.M.Tull YMCA in Lawrenceville.

He was chairman of the Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful organization for 20 years during which time he was awarded the “Iron Eyes Cody” award: the highest national award for environmental program leaders. He was in the charter class of IGEL (Institute of Georgia Environmental Leadership).

After retiring he had done some consulting work for St. Bourke development company out of Australia related to the growth patterns and school plans in northern Gwinnett County. To see a video created for his retirement go to: 

https://publish.gwinnett.k12.ga.us/gcps/home/gcpstv/videos/gcps/moments/236478901.

He retired to his family’s 100+ year old farm in Toccoa GA, where he had a fine herd of Simmental Angus cattle.

At Jim’s request there will be no funeral service.

The Jim Steele Environmental Education Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia has been created in honor of Jim’s passion for education, love of the environment and commitment to making a difference. Donations may be made to www.CFNEG.org, The Community Foundation for Northeast Georgia, 6500 Sugarloaf Parkway, Suite 220, Duluth, Ga. 30097 with J. Steele EE Scholarship in the memo line.