Obituary

Lee Walter Keeler
August 29, 1951 – July 6, 2024

Lee W. Keeler passed away peacefully at home on July 6, 2024, after a brave month-long battle. He is survived by his wife, Linda; children, Mabel and Lily; brothers Allan (Linda) and Robert (Linda); brothers-in-law Mark (Teresa), Neil, and Paul Campbell; as well as nieces Jamie, Whitney, Molly, Alex, Shannon, Amy, Sarah, and Lauren; nephew David; and extended family. Lee was preceded in death by his mother Eleanor, father Everett G., and brother Everett H. Keeler.

Born in Derby, Connecticut, the youngest of four boys, Lee grew up in a 1700s Southbury farmhouse that provided the stage for a childhood rich in adventures where pet crows and raccoons were the norm and sheep were usually obstinate. He was an active child always in a hurry to catch up with his big brothers whom he adored. With aviation in the family genes, there was always an airplane or two in the barn and opportunities to fly. Knee high to a grasshopper, Lee knew about spark plugs, engines, and the importance of a hand brake!

Lee was an athlete. In high school, he excelled on the track, basketball, and was 1969 regional champion in pole vaulting. In his twenties, conversations about lift, thermals, and leading edges became the norm as he threw himself off quite a few mountains, setting a few hang gliding records along the way. It was ultimately the cold winters that chased Lee to California where there were new mountains to soar. Lee enjoyed camping and fishing along the Kern River, Reno air races, and windsurfing in San Felipe. He put on his boots and two-stepped into the 90s and into the Swallows Inn where he met his wife in 1991.

Although residential and then commercial construction allowed Lee to build a life in Southern California, it is his family that brought him the greatest joy. Lee was a loving husband and devoted father. He raised his girls to be both strong and kind, able to use power tools, and be confident in their ability to accomplish their dreams. Lee shared with them his sense of adventure and awe of nature. He taught them about ocean tides and wave sets as well as clouds and weather patterns. Lee is remembered for the magic he brought to life. A little abracadabra and a Barbie Little Tikes car became a go cart, the hand-me-down swing set was repurposed into the dining room table when it was no longer safe to use. Lee opened his heart to every rescue. A repeat foster-fail king, he made our house our home.

We are devastated by this sudden loss. We miss Lee, husband, dad, brother, uncle, and friend. We miss his stories. Did you know about the time he hitch hiked to a Salvador Dali art show in New York or that he was at Woodstock, the OG Woodstock? We miss the daily surf and weather reports, but we will also miss the quiet times, the reading dates in the backyard and watching the sunset over the back fence.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Lee’s name to the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center or to the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation.

https://case.edu/medicine/pathology/divisions/prion-center

www.cjd foundation.org.