Cloudy, 36° F
(September 20, 2002)
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25 at the First Southern Baptist Church in Powell for Charles Nolan Keeler, a 57-year resident of Powell, who died at the Powell Nursing Home Friday, Sept. 20, just short of a month after his 92nd birthday.
He was born Aug. 24, 1910, in Burnham, Mo., the son of William Keeler and Louise (Black) Keeler. He spent the first 30 years of his life in Missouri.
On June 15, 1940, he married Ruby Smith in Cushing, Okla.
In 1945, the couple moved to Wyoming where he went to work for Standard Oil and Gas Co. He and his wife lived in the camp at the Elk Basin oil fields near Powell for nine years. Their children, Nolan and Carla, were born while they were living in Elk Basin.
Later they moved into Powell. He retired from Amoco Production Co. after 29 years of service.
He was a master gardener, and his neighbors will remember the generous sharing of the vegetable plants he grew in his greenhouse and the produce, especially the tomatoes, he grew in his garden. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing.
He and his wife of 62 years were active participants in the Powell Senior Citizen Center. He was a member of the First Southern Baptist Church.
All of his children and most of his grandchildren visited him in August shortly before he became seriously ill.
Survivors include his wife Ruby; son Nolan Keeler of Powell; daughters Glenn D'Amico and husband Lou of Santa Cruz, Calif., and Carla Essex and husband Russ of Mobridge, S.D.; son-in-law Don Engen of Billings, Mont.; a sister, Clava Havens, and husband Will of Ava, Mo.; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; six brothers; four sisters; and two daughters, Charlene Engen, and an infant daughter.
Visitation will be Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home, with visitation one hour prior to the 2 p.m. service Wednesday.
Memorials may be made to the Powell Valley Hospice, the Powell Senior Citizen Center or the First Southern Baptist Church.
