June 28, 1937 ~ April 7, 2026 (age 88)
John 11:25,26 “I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”
Donald Douglas Steeves of Saint John, NB, went to be with his Lord and Saviour peacefully on Tuesday, April 7th, 2026. Donald was born in Baltimore, NB on June 28, 1937 the son of the late Ray and Ola (Beaumont) Steeves.
Don loved Baltimore and always considered it his home, his family property was an original grant given to his ancestors in 1818. He attended the one room school in Baltimore until grade 8, then attended Hillsborough High School where he graduated in 1955. He also attended the little rural Church in Baltimore, which was just on the corner of their property. In his youth he accepted Christ as his Saviour and was baptized in the stream that ran through their property.
Don inherited his love of experimenting with new things from his father. After high school he took the one year course in radio/tv repair at the fairly new NB Technical Institute in Moncton, (now NBCC) then got a job at a radio/TV repair shop. He then attended New Brunswick Bible Institute.
He met and then married the love of his life, Thelma in 1962, and they lived in Sackville, NB, where Don worked at the CBC shortwave towers. Shortly thereafter their 2 children, Kathy and Michael, were born.
Then in 1967 he answered God’s calling and the family went to Kijabe, Kenya to do mission work under the Africa Inland Mission. He first ministered in the mission radio studio where they produced religious radio programs for the government operated radio station – The Voice of Kenya. He became known to the people of Kijabe as the mister fixit man, for all electrical and technical things, this title stuck with him until his retirement.
As personal computers began to appear, he took a great interest in them, and was soon able to buy one for himself. He loved learning all the things a computer could do for him and his ministry, and writing programs to be used on the computer. His family will always remember the picture slideshows going by on his computer and all the stories that went along with it, even when he started losing his memory, he could always tell you the same story about every picture that he had always told.
As time progressed, they moved onto a ministry at Rift Valley Academy, the boarding school for the children of missionaries. Here he got the school introduced to the use of computers, he wrote a program to keep all the student bank account records, holding ‘student bank’ every Friday for the remainder of his days at Kijabe.
For 18 years Don and Thelma ministered at the school, following God’s lead, there were always opportunities for Don to interact with students and staff, keeping life busy. He also made regular business trips to the city of Nairobi for the school.
Vacation times were also a big part of life in Kenya. A favourite place was to go to the coast of Kenya, where there were spectacular beaches, along the Indian Ocean, at times staying in cheap cottages, or camping, and even in hotels in later years. Game parks were always attractive places to visit, and Kenya had many special ones.
After 35 years of ministry in Kenya, retirement time came when Don turned 65, in 2002. When Don and Thelma decided to return to Sackville NB, where he attended Main Street Baptist Church, enjoying the fellowship there that had begun in 1962 when they were first married. It was also a great time to enjoy having his family close again, especially building relationships with his grandchildren, visits from them and with them. Being referred to as “Guka” by some, which is Kikuyu for Grandpa, always kept a part of Kenya with him.
Then they made the move to Saint John in 2013, as Don was showing early signs of Alzheimer’s while in Sackville, and in Saint John he was able to have all the health and medical attention required and Michael and Bernadine were close-by always giving help and attention when needed. For many years he enjoyed making new and lasting friendships while attending Forest Hills Baptist Church. Despite his Alzheimer’s, he enjoyed being part of several musical presentations.
He was able to still enjoy family gatherings and vacations, always thankful for all of Thelma’s love and care, being able to keep him at home as long as possible. Then the time came when he needed extra care and he was moved into Turnbull Nursing Home. There he received lots of visits from family, always enjoying the visits from his Grandchildren and great-grandchildren who could usually get a smile or two, and Thelma was able to enjoy quality time with him.
He will be so deeply missed by his wife of 63 years, Thelma (Snider); daughter Kathleen “Kathy” Nutford (John), son Michael (Bernadine); grandchildren Rachel “Lilly” Nutford(Scott), Leigh-Ann Fenton (Logan), Stephen Nutford (Jessica), Julianne Steeves (Joel) and Evan Steeves (Alex); Great-Grandchildren Kari Nutford, Marylynn and Cameron Fenton; Niece Gaye Kurtz of Saskatchewan and her family. Brother-in-laws Bernard Snider, and Vaughn Snider of Hillsborough, as well as many nieces and nephews and all of his extended family and friends.
Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his sisters, Evelyn, Mary Nelson (Elmo), her children Lyn and Lorne Nelson and Gladys Jacobson (Bob); Brother-in-law Wayne Snider (Lornette). and Sisters-in-law, Glendine Snider and Lois Snider.
We are so thankful and appreciative to the staff at Turnbull nursing home for their care for Don over the last 2 years, they have been so family oriented, making us all feel we have been an important part of his care, while also taking the worry off of his family and making sure he was taken care of to the utmost degree. Words are not enough to say how much we appreciate them.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care and direction of Fundy Funeral Home, 230 Westmorland Road, Saint John, NB (506-646-2424). A funeral service will be held at Forest Hills Baptist Church, 36 Mountain Road, Saint John, NB, on Saturday, April 18th, at 11am, with a reception to follow. Interment will be held in the Baltimore Baptist Church Cemetery, Baltimore, NB, on Saturday, May 2nd, at 2pm, with a reception to follow at the Dawson Settlement Baptist Church.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Africa Inland Mission Canada or the charity of your choice would be greatly appreciated.
Psalm 23:6 “Your kindness and love will always be with me, each day of my life and I will live forever in your house Lord.”
