Vennie Langford Steelman

ALLEN -- Vennie Louise (Langford) Steelman, 87, passed away on Saturday, October 29, 2016 in Allen, Texas. Graveside Service: 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 2, at Hopewell Cemetery, Gilmer, Texas. Visitation: The family will receive friends from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 1, at Wade Family Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Pkwy., Arlington. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, www.alz.org. Vennie was born on March 5, 1929, in Upshur County, Texas to Dorcas (Bullock) Langford and Troy Langford. Her parents were share croppers who picked cotton and vegetables and, by the age of six, Vennie was picking enough cotton to help provide for the needs of her family. This perseverance and determination helped her to achieve many of her life's goals. She was salutatorian of her graduating class as well as captain of the volleyball team. After high school, Vennie left the small community of Shady Grove, Texas, to go to Dallas to train to become a Medical Technologist. It was through this career that she worked for many years for various doctors and hospitals, retiring from St Joseph's in Paris, Texas, after 25 years of service. Vennie married Bobby Ray Steelman on August 6, 1950, in Greenville, Texas. They resided in Paris, Texas, for 45 years, where they both were very active in their church. She, along with her husband and children, was a member of the Steelman Family Singers, traveling the south to share the gospel of Christ through song. Vennie moved to Arlington, Texas, in 2002 to be closer to her family. She was a member of the Arlington First Church of the Nazarene. She is preceded in death by her husband, her parents, one daughter, Kathy Harrison, four brothers and sisters who died at or shortly after birth, a sister, Shirley Ann Langford who died from leukemia at the age of six and a brother, W.H. Langford, who died in WWII. Survivors: include her children Mark Steelman and wife, Jan, Randal Steelman and wife, Sheri, Nancy Cowlishaw and husband, Tom, and son-in-law, Garry Harrison; grandchildren Angela Goodson, Mark Steelman, Jr., Kristy Pennington, Robin Cowlishaw, Christopher Steelman, Regan Barolet, Rhonda Durant, Jeremy Cowlishaw and great-grandchildren, Trevor, Colby, Jordan, Elizabeth and Kayman. Wade Family Funeral Home Arlington, 817-274-9233