Millard Keeling

Millard Keeling, Cleveland resident for nearly fifty-years, passed away Wednesday, June 19, 2002 at the Cleveland Area Hospital at the age of eighty-five years, seven months and two days.

Millard was born November 17, 1916 in Marshall, Arkansas. He was the son of Thomas Elwood and Mary Arizona Keeling. He moved with his family at an early age to the Prue, Oklahoma area where he attended school and then later returned to Arkansas.

Millard was married to Louisa Hendrickson on June 2, 1936 in Providence, Arkansas. The couple made their initial home in Arkansas and were married for about eight years before Millard was called into the service of his country in World War II. Millard served as a Seaman First Class in the United States Navy from April 1944 until November 1945.

Millard began his career as a heavy equipment operator in the pipeline construction business in 1950. Although he worked as a backhoe operator digging pipeline ditches all over the United States, Millard and Louisa settled in Cleveland in 1952 and raised their four children, Joyce, Jackie, Norman and Pat. Millard retired from the pipeline construction business in 1975 after twenty-five years. He was a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 49, Minneapolis, Minnesota during most of his career.

Millard was always a very active person. He loved to tend and watch his vegetable garden grow, especially his tomatoes. He prepared his garden annually and kept his entire family in fresh vegetables during the summers. He enjoyed singing and playing the guitar with his brothers. Their love for music was instilled in them by their mother at an early age. The family would often get together and sing country and gospel music. Millard's favorite musical performers were Hank Williams and Patsy Cline. He always enjoyed old movies which included Gene Autry and John Wayne. His favorite pastime, however, was spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Millard was a longtime member of the Western Heights Baptist Church and was also a member of the American Legion, Everett Taylor Post 1 in Cleveland.

Millard is survived by his wife, Louisa, of the home; four children, Joyce and Jack Donnelly, Hallett, Oklahoma, Jackie and Phillip Wilson, Hominy, Oklahoma, Norman and Marie Keeling, Cleveland, Oklahoma, and Pat Johnson, Tulsa, Oklahoma; twelve grandchildren, twenty-two great grandchildren, one great great granddaughter, and a sister, Edith Agee, Sapulpa, Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his parents, a granddaughter, Julie Kay Donnelly, a great granddaughter, Sirena Marie McFarland; four brothers, Thomas, Everett, Fred and Jack; and three sisters, Glenna Kirk, Laura Norris, and Eva Page.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Friday, June 21, 2002 at the Western Heights Baptist Church with Rev. David Head officiating. Burial will be at the Woodland Cemetery under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.

''Visit and online obituary and guestbook for Millard Keeling at www.chapman-black.com.''