Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Steed, Frederick May 2, 2019
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Pat Currigan currigan1932@comcast.net September 5, 2020, 11:42 am

Ionia Sentinel Standard-Wed. May 8, 2019

FRED STEED, GOD bless you
Former Ionia County undersheriff remembered for service, love of outdoors.

Portland - A longtime employee of the Ionia County Sheriff's Office is being 
remembered for his dedication to service and love of the outdoors.

Frederick Steed, of Portland, died May 2, 2019 at 72, according to his 
obituary.

Steed worked for the Ionia County Sheriff's Office from 1977 until 2003, 
including serving as undersheriff and jail administrator.

Former Ionia County sheriff Terry Jungel was elected sheriff in 1985 when 
Steed was working a undersheriff. Traditionally, when a new sheriff would 
replace an old one, the undersheriff would also depart, Jungel said. That 
wasn't the case with Steed.

"He was way too talented to let go," Jungel said.

Steed was a veteran of the U.S. Army, according to his obituary. He served 
during the Vietnam War from 1965-1973 and the National Guard from 1974-1986. 
He retired as a Major.

Jungel said Steed's military background was a "true asset" to the sheriff's 
office, but added that his greatest asset was his organizational ability. 
Steed was Wikipedia before there was a Wikipedia, Jungel said.

"If you needed an answer he was the guy you went to and asked him about it," 
Jungel said, "Every sheriff and every chief needs a Fred Steed."

After Jungel was elected in 1985, he put Steed in charge of the jail and 
served as jail administrator. Jungel said that Steed was instrumental in 
helping construct the new Ionia county Jail in 1990 and understood both jail 
and construction rules and regulations.

Steed served his country and county honorably, Jungel said.

"He was a big guy but he was a teddy bear with a teddy bear smile," Jungel 
said.

Ionia County Sheriff Charlie Noll was joined the department as a deputy in 
1996, when Steed was still serving as jail administrator. Noll said that 
Steed was reliable and contributed greatly to the sheriff's office and jail.

"He was very respected and treated staff how he would want to be treated," 
Noll said.

Before working at the Ionia County Sheriff's Office, Steed worked as an 
officer for the Portland Police department from 1975 until 1977, per his 
obituary.

Outside of his law enforcement career, Steed loved the outdoor and 
photographing wildlife, according to his obituary. He was a Boy Scout leader, 
involved in prison ministry and was a founding member of the Pheasants 
Forever Portland chapter.

Steed was born in Grand Rapids in August 1946 He was a member of Portland St. 
Patrick Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus No. 2168 and VFW Post No. 4090.

Portland Mayor Jim Barnes paid tribute to Steed at the Portland City Council 
meeting on May 6; 
"The city of Portland lost quite a guy recently," Barnes said. "Mr. Fred 
Steed was an excellent member of our community."

Barnes referenced a newspaper article in the archives at Portland City Hall 
in which Steed was on a routine patrol and discovered a house fire. Steed 
awakened the people inside and rescued them safely before extinguishing the 
fire without too much damage to the house.

"God bless you, Fred Steed, " Barnes said, 
We'll keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers."

A funeral Mass took place May 6 at Portland St. Patrick Catholic Church.


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