Harry McKeever 1928-2016
Harry McKeever, 88, Richardson, Texas, formerly of Holton, passed away Thursday, Nov. 4, 2016, at Kindred Hospital in Dallas, Texas, after a brief illness.
Harry was born Sept. 4, 1928, in the Banner community of Holton, to Clark and Alice McKeever. He graduated from Holton High School in 1946 and immediately entered the U.S. Army, where he served two years in Occupied Japan. After discharge, he returned to Kansas and enrolled at Baker University, Baldwin, graduating in 1952. It was then he started his 40-year career in the insurance industry as a payroll auditor of Workers Comp with Bituminous Casualty Co.
He was transferred to Rock Island, Ill., and there he met and married Sally Maske in December of 1958. This year would have been their 58th anniversary. They often joked that they were the original “When Harry Met Sally.”
When Harry retired he found new avocations — friends laughed that it took him all of 10 minutes to adjust to retirement. He rediscovered table tennis after playing in the Army. He took lessons, played tournaments and won trophies. With his partner, Richard Grant, they were champions in senior citizen tournaments from Disney World to San Francisco.
Harry and Sally loved to travel, so they always tacked a vacation trip on after the tournaments to explore the area. With all that traveling, you really need a van, so Harry bargained his way to five different vans — Hondas, of course. Needless to say, trading cars was another hobby of his.
He became interested in volunteer work and was active in the Richardson Police Citizens academy and volunteering at the police station for a number of years. He helped to organize a Crime Watch for Kindred Lane.
He is survived by his wife, Sally; daughter, Barbara, Dallas, Texas; his son, Brad and wife Laurie of Flower Mound, Texas; grandsons, Matthew and Mitchell McKeever; brother, Wendel McKeever of Shawnee Mission; brother-in-law, Joe Maske and Becky of Pelican Rapids, Minn.; and niece Amy and Bob Mueller and son Lucas of Wichita. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Duane, Gene and Kathryn Maske of Iowa and sister-in-law Marilyn Maske.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association or the American Cancer Society.
Harry will be remembered as the guy who loved sports, knew all the stats and always had a story to tell. Rest in peace, Harry Dean — you will be missed.
(PAID OBITUARY)
