Tree Dedication for Mr. Geoffrey Steel - Saturday, May 14, 2011

On a dreary, damp Saturday morning, a number of Alumni, staff, family and friends assembled at HSC to honour the contributions of Mr. Geoffrey Steel with a Tree Dedication Ceremony.

Flanked by many family members, Mr. Steel arrived on campus Saturday morning and enjoyed conversation and refreshments with Head of College, Marc Ayotte. Those attending the ceremony assembled around the tree’s location next to the ‘Big Toy’ and enjoyed the music from Mr. John Hannah (current faculty) on the bagpipes.

As Mr. Steel arrived at the tree dedication site, Mr. Hannah played a moving piece, the RCAF Marchpast, in commemoration of Mr. Steel’s dedicated service in WWII. Mr. Ayotte and Barry Sanderson ’63 recounted numerous memories from Mr. Steel’s time at Hillfield School for Boys and the current Hillfield Strathallan College Campus, as well as his continuing contributions at the Remembrance Day Services. Many of these revolved around Geoffrey’s service in the arts, math and most of all, his dedication to the individual learnings of his students.

A number of reminiscences also included Geoffrey’s wife, the late Mrs. Gabrielle Steel (1917 – 2011). Mr. Ayotte announced that the plaque mounted with the tree will also included a dedication to her years of service to the HSC community. Below is full copy of the plaque:

White Oak
Quercus alba

planted in honour of

Mr. Geoffrey Steel

A dedicated faculty member, who enriched the lives of Hillfield Strathallan College students from 1947-1984. Geoffrey was inducted as a Builder at HSC in 1987.
Forever rooted on Campus and in the minds and successes of the students he touched.

And in memory of his beloved wife Gabrielle Steel (1917 – 2011),
who was employed at Hillfield Strathallan between 1962 -1975

Those attending the ceremony had the opportunity to hear Mr. Steel’s unique and powerful voice recount his beginnings in education, an avenue that he had not originally considered in his life. Obviously, HSC and its students are thankful that he did!

Click here to visit the online photo gallery for more pictures of the event.

If you have memories of Mr. Steel that you would like included in a compilation that will be presented to Geoffrey, please forward them to erin.matthews@hsc.on.ca no later than Monday, May 30, 2011.