Richard James Keeler, 75, La Plata

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010

Born March 7, 1934, in Chester, Mass., he was the son of the late Charles A. Keeler and the late Marion Closson Keeler.

He was a self-employed driver. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He served from 1952 to 1961 and was deployed to Iceland.

He was a vet technician with a private alpaca farm and a driver for the Amish in St. Mary's County and a long-time employee of Clinton Fence in Waldorf. He enjoyed his computer and was self-taught. He loved to read.

He is survived by his wife, Annie Keeler; his son, William E. Bartron and his wife, Joannie, of Hughesville; his daughters, Linda Crawford and her husband, Robert, of Mechanicsville, Paula Williams and her husband, Edward, of La Plata and Bonnie Keeler of Winchester, Va.; his brother, Charles Keeler of Florida; his sister, Muriel Brett of Massachusetts; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

The family received friends and prayers were said Feb. 2 at Raymond Funeral Chapel in La Plata.

A funeral service will be held today, Feb. 3, at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home. The Rev. Richard Young will officiate.

Interment will be at Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Cheltenham.

Pallbearers will be Reuben Swarey, Elias Hertzler, Jonathan Byler and Levi Swarey. Honorary pallbearers will be John Welsh, Joe Richards, Rob Norris, Joe Harvey, Edward Williams, Lou Williams, Bobby Crawford, Robert Crawford, Rich Yamashiro and Charles Arcadipane.