Perry Steele, Jr.

Kerrville Perry Wilson Steele, Jr., 79, of Kerrville, Texas passed from this life on Saturday, May 10, 2014 at a local care center. He was born in Alice, Texas to Perry Wilson and Nettie Opal Lee Steele.

Mr. Steele retired with over 35 years of combined U.S. Marine Corps and Federal Service.

His Federal Service was entirely in the Immigration and Naturalization Service. He started as a Border Patrol Inspector and rose through the ranks, performing duties in every field officer position to which an officer might aspire, until promoted to the rank of District Director.

He was District Director with the title of Regional Attache at our American Embassy in Mexico City, Mexico responsible for all Immigration and Naturalization Service activities in Mexico, Central and South America and the independent nations of the Caribbean. As such, his orate was one of the three having responsibility for representing the Immigration and Naturalization Service outside of the United States. In his capacity of head of the agency he was a member of the Ambassadors Country Team, responsible for meeting and keeping the Ambassador apprised of the effects of his agency on the political situation of the host country on a daily basis. He served under the administration of four Ambassadors during his embassy tour of duty.

He returned to the United States and became the Immigration Commissioners Special Representative to the Southern Border, charged with resolving border issues ly with his Mexican counterpart who was at the ambassadorial level. This position was created particularly for Mr. Steele due to his previous service in Mexico, and his working ability with that government. The position was abolished with his retirement.

During his career, Mr. Steele was a guest lecturer at the Immigration and Naturalization Service Academy for all officer levels. He was the author of some fifteen specialized courses and at one time was the only nonattorney to lecture new Service attorneys on Immigration Law.

Mr. Steele, while on temporary duty with the Presidential Commissions, met with the then President of Mexico, President De La Madrid, has met personally with Cabinet and Ministerial ranked officials as well as numerous ambassadors, senators and congressmen, and other governmental officials for various countries. He negotiated an agreement with the Mexican Government concerning the transit of Other Than Mexican aliens back to their home counties through Mexico, a matter of considerable contention at the time.

Under his orate, a sensitive diplomatic agreement with the Government of Cuba was implemented, allowing United States Officers to interview former political prisoners in that country for possible refugee status and subsequent entry into the United States. Mr. Steele personally lead all but one of the teams during his tenure and ultimately was the first United States Officer to interview political prisoners still confined in the Combinado de Este Prison near Havana. Former political prisoners were also interviewed under Mr. Steeles orate in Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico and Spain.

Mr. Steele interviewed former El Salvadorian guerrillas who had been offered amnesty by the El Salvadorian Government contingent on their acceptance by another country for refugee status.

Mr. Steele had received recognition for his work through numerous Outstanding Performance Ratings, as well as the Commissioners Special Achievement Award, along with numerous letters of commendation and other recognitions from Ambassadors, Members of the Senate and Congress, U.S. Attorneys, and other government officials.

He was introduced before the Congressional Judiciary Committee in Washington D.C., had given testimony before Congressman R. Mazoli and panel. He spoke as a participating representative of his Agency at the meeting between the Attorneys General of Mexico and the United States in Cancun, Mexico, in 1986. He was invited and presented a paper as a panel member before a prestigious Washington think tank.

Mr. Steele was seriously wounded on two occasions while in the performance of his official duties during his career. On one occasion he was assaulted by a person being arrested which came close to causing him to lose sight in one eye and on the other he was assaulted and stabbed in the chest by a terrorist in front of the Embassy in Mexico City.

He was a member of Kerrville Masonic Lodge 697, A.F. A.M., a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, a member of the Shrine, Order of Eastern Star Chapter 24, the National Active and Retires Federal Employees NARFE, and the Hill Country Chapter Sons of the American Revolution. He was a longtime member of St. Pauls United Methodist Church in Kerrville, Texas.

Mr. Steele is predeceased by his parents.

Those left to cherish and honor his memory are his wife of 57 years, Ruth Steele of Kerrville, Texas daughters, Virginia Davis and husband Walter of Dunnellon, Florida, and Elizabeth Merucci and husband Chuck of Dallas, Texas brother, Jerry Steele and wife Diane of New Braunfels, Texas sister, Hazel Lovelace of Lindale, Texas nephew, John Lovelace and wife Judith of Duncanville, Texas cousins, Laura Dobbs Roth of Kerrville, Texas and Charles Whitaker and wife Linda of Bella Vista, Arkansas, along with many friends, neighbors, church family, and last but certainly not least, his Border Patrol family who will miss him dearly.

A Memorial Service that will include Border Patrol Honors and Masonic Rites will be held at 2 PM, Friday, May 16, 2014 in the Main Chapel of Kerrville Funeral Home, 1221 Junction Highway, Kerrville, TX 78028 with Bro. Bill Johnson officiating. Private family graveside services will be held at Garden of Memories Cemetery, Kerrville, Texas.

The family suggests in lieu of floral tributes that donations in his name be made to the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Attn: S. Brigger, V.P. of Development, 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, Texas 75219 or to the charity of ones choice.

Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of the professionals at Kerrville Funeral Home. 830 8955111

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