Steele W. Filipek ’73

Steele died March 18, 2026, at home in Pittsburgh, Pa. He was 75.

Born in Pittsburgh, he attended Peabody High School. His junior year he transferred to Exeter, where he was in the computer club, played football and rugby, and ran track. Steele took a gap year after Exeter and went to Utrecht, Netherlands, where he lived with a doctor and his family, became fluent in Dutch, learned to love raw herring, and traveled across Europe.

Steele came to Princeton, where he roomed for three years with John Stebbins ’72 (his Exeter roommate) and Dennis Zagroba ’72. He married his senior year and lived off campus. Steele majored in psychology and wrote both his junior paper and senior thesis under the direction of Professor Peter Orenstein. He was an assistant student manager at Commons.

He attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, followed by a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Magee-Womens Hospital. He joined Donald Mrvos in private practice.

This paints an incomplete picture of a man who enjoyed going to Penguins games — but complained about having to park. He loved to read, travel, tour Civil War battlefields, cook, and sing ancient advertising jingles.

Steele is survived by his wife of 43 years Carolyn Kubik; sons Andrew, Tyler, and Zach; daughter Amanda; and five grandchildren. The class sends its condolences.