CATHERINE BRIGID STEELE

Catherine Brigid Steele, who departed this life on July 8, 2025, was born in Bakersfield, California on January 7, 1954, the second of the three children of Patrick Charles Steele and the former Catherine Brigid McDonald. A member of the vast earth-changing American Baby Boom generation, she grew up in an Irish Catholic family of men, and especially women, whose lives were exemplified by honest work and community involvement. Like her aunts, uncles, parents, and older sister, Catherine (known as Cathy during her childhood), attended St Francis School. By sixth grade, certain characteristics had emerged: a bright precociousness, unyielding determination, and delicate health. At Curran Jr. High, she enjoyed the widening horizons of public education and in 8th grade she decided to run for cheerleader. With typical enthusiasm, she threw herself into the successful campaign but contracted a life-threatening illness as a result. Just as typically, she recovered and was chosen to give the 8th grade graduation speech.

This pattern repeated on Catherine’s entry to Bakersfield High School. She served on the freshman class council (Class of 1972); participated in art club and modern dance; played viola in the orchestra; and contributed poetry to the IKON literary magazine. In the course of learning and practicing The Driller Way, she took part in civil disobedience to overturn the prohibition of female students wearing pants: she wore her Levis rolled under the skirt of her purple velour dress for almost a full school year. At the end, the high school district abandoned the rule. It would likely have changed without her action, but she did her part!

Bakersfield College was next, and then the University of California, Berkeley, where she majored in English and graduated summa cum laude (with all honors). After a failed attempt at print journalism, Catherine began her career in broadcast journalism, interning at Channel 23 and later working as a reporter at Channel 29. During her local news tenure, she developed a feature story about Merle Haggard which garnered admiration from “The Hagg” himself. Her talent was noticed by the new upstart Cable News Network (CNN) which directly recruited her to Atlanta, Georgia for an anchor position in its Headline News division. Her 15 years at CNN included writing, producing, reporting and anchoring responsibilities for many media innovations across Turner Broadcasting. Upon returning to California, she worked for a time in news radio in Los Angeles before retiring and returning to Bakersfield.

Catherine was married twice and had no children. Eventually, poor health overwhelmed her and the last years were a constant battle. She never lost hope of recovery. Her last illness, an intense battle with cancer, was mercifully swift.

Catherine was predeceased by her parents Patrick Charles Steele and Catherine Brigid Steele and her niece Elizabeth Catherine Stewart. She is survived by her sister Mary Anne Steele (Stewart) and brother Patrick J. Steele both of Bakersfield, her niece Margaret Stewart of Scottsdale, AZ. and her cousin Lynne Clerou Wiswall of Bakersfield. A graveside service will be held Friday, July 18, 2025 at 9:30am in Union Cemetery, 730 Potomac Ave, Bakersfield followed by a reception at the home of her sister.

Catherine was always wide awake and never shy. Her spirit has departed this world to rise into the stars and join the constellation of family and friends to shine and twinkle from the infinite dark to provide comfort and inspiration.

.