Charles Lewis Steed

Charles "Chuck" Lewis Steed, 95, of Kingsport, died Saturday, August 30, 2025, at NHC HealthCare in Kingsport.

A service will be conducted at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, September 6, 2025, at Randolph Memorial Park, Asheboro, with Mr. Charles Reeder officiating. Entombment will follow with military honors provided by the Randolph County Honor Guard.

Charles was born on December 3, 1929 in Asheboro, NC.  He was born 35 days after Black Friday, the start of the Great Depression.

Charles had an amazing life. To have a life that nearly spanned a 100 years, he has seen much.  When he was a young boy, many roads in Asheboro had never been paved.  Some people still rode horses. The Great Depression had a lifetime impact on his life.  He was always very frugal and would maintain and repair everything he used until there was nothing left throughout his life.  That was the way to people had to live when he grew up.  He would get one pair of shoes per year.  He went barefoot in the summer to save his shoes for winter.  If the soles wore out before the next pair, he would put cardboard in his shoes to make them last until his family could afford another pair.  If someone was in need, his family would do what they could to help everyone even though they had little.  Charles embraced this caring for others throughout his life.  He often helped others, at times doing things without them knowing where the help came from or taking credit.  His first 2 cars were used Ford Model “A”s.  He graduated from Asheboro High School in 1950. He played football and ran track for “The Blue Comets”

Proudly served in US Navy on one of the last diesel submarines 1950 - 1954, USS Runner (SS-476).   The USS Runner was key in the first development and testing of the steerable torpedoes used today.  In addition to research on torpedoes, his crew patrolled the east coast from the Caribbean to the Saint Lawerence Seaway.  During his service in the Navy, he was stationed in Charleston, SC.  When he and Dot had free time, they would go town and dance the Charleston until late at night.

Charles often spoke of his fond memories of submarine service.  His service had it's exciting moments.  Once while in port, he was credited and recognized for leading a team to fight a fire on a sister submarine dock beside the Runner.  They extinguished the fire and prevented a potentially catastrophic fire on the sister submarine.  Later while at a base in the Caribbean on a clear and beautiful sunny day, they were loading torpedoes into the submarine with a crane.  Suddenly a bolt of lightning came from a tiny cloud and struck the end of the torpedo.  Fortunately the torpedo didn’t detonate.

After the Navy, he and Dot settled back in Asheboro where he and Dot began their life together, built a house and started a family.  Charles worked for and retired from both General Electric and Georgia Pacific in Asheboro.  He also served as a volunteer with the Asheboro Fire Department for about 30 years.  He enjoyed hunting, fishing, shooting sports, following NASCAR racing and camping at Myrtle Beach with his family.  During the early days of NASCAR, he worked for NASCAR scoring the races.

He was the North Carolina State archery champion, 1959.  He passed this knowledge and skill to Randy who was the North Carolina state champion in 1979.

He lived in Asheboro from birth until 1996 when he and Dot moved to Church Hill, TN to be closer to their son and daughter- in-law.   After Dot passed in 2019, Charles spent his final years in Preston Place Assisted Living and National Health Care Skilled Nursing Facility in Kingsport, TN.

In addition to his parents, Charles was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy "Dot" Saunders Steed, and brother, Frank W. Steed, Jr.

He is survived by his son, Charles Randall "Randy" Steed and wife, Seba of Church Hill, TN.

The family will receive friends from 1:30 until 2:30 p.m., on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at Ridge Funeral Home.

Memorials contributions may be made to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306 or https://t2t.org/donate/