Albertha (Bert) Y. Steele died on Oct. 20 at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. She was the daughter of Lena and W. Earl Youker and the beloved wife of Andrew Steele, who died this spring.

She is survived by four first cousins; Jean Burgess of Washington, James and Thomas Norton of New York and Jane Norton of Florida. She was the stepmother of Susan Steele of Arizona, Abbie Steele of Massachusetts and Margaret Johnson, deceased, of New York.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 8 at the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury at noon. A summer memorial will also be held in early August 2009.

Bert loved her Island and lived in Chilmark for many years after Andy retired.

She and Andy were active members of the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury where they served as trustee and treasurer respectively.

They were also faithful volunteers for 20 years at the Thrift Shop where neither rain, sleet nor snow could keep them from their Monday morning assignments.

Albertha was a founding member of the Friends of the Up-Island Council on Aging and worked initially with great determination and success raising funds for the renovation of Howes House, the senior center in West Tisbury. Into her middle nineties she was active in the Friends and other civic organizations, as well as a regular indoor winter walker with Andy at the West Tisbury

School.

A complete obituary will follow.