John Cameron Keedy  

As the leaves turned color, John Keedy passed peacefully away on Oct. 1, 2013 at his beloved Fell-O-Ship overlooking the idyllic shores of Lake Maxinkuckee. Born in Frankfort, on Oct. 13, 1939 to Morton and Carolyn Goar Keedy

John made several visits to Culver as a child, including the summer of ‘54 when he attended the Naval program at Culver Military Academy. That summer, he spotted the white house on the hill across the lake, the very spot where he would eventually spend some of the happiest days of his life.

A 1957 graduate of Frankfort High School and a 1961 graduate of Indiana University, he was also a member and president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Indiana Gamma. He continued on to receive his MBA and then, with fond memories of his time at Culver, entered the Naval Officer’s Candidate School in Newport, RI where he received his commission in 1962. Based out of San Diego, John made two Pacific tours as First Lieutenant Afloat aboard the USS Taussig.

He returned to Indiana in 1965, and promptly met Sugar (Ruth Anne Fell, Kokomo). Ironically, Sugar’s family had spent their summers in the white house across the lake he remembered from his Culver cadet days. He proposed to her on that very hill and they were married December 28, 1966. They set up house in Indianapolis where John enjoyed a 40 year career as a stockbroker with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner and Smith.

Upon retirement, John and Sugar split their time between Culver and Ft. Myers when not pursuing a long bucket list of overseas travel destinations.

To his wife of 47 years, he was “my #1 boyfriend JCK”, to him, she was “his sweet little angel,” to his sons Matt, Bob and Bill he was dad, and to his grandchildren Sam and Will Keedy, he was confident enough to be called OGO “Oh Grand One,” and relished his role as “pater familias” to both family and friends who were like family. To his children’s friends, he was the dad with a firm handshake and a gentle hug. To children, the man who gave thrilling golf cart rides. Always impeccably dressed and a gentleman to the end, John will be remembered for his infectious laugh and being host extraordinaire. His generosity, graciousness, humor and wit will be missed.

John was a passionate lifelong golfer with three Hole-in-Ones under his belt: the first in high school playing the Frankfort Country Club and the last at his home course in Florida, Nov. 25th last year, three weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. He was a member of Mystic Hills Golf Club (Culver), The Landings Golf, Tennis and Yacht Club (Ft. Myers, Florida) and the Maxinkuckee Yacht Club (Culver), where he was most proud of the “Best Boy Crew” trophy he won racing with his son Bill, Captain of “Billy’s Goat”.

In addition to many other worthy organizations, he was a proud member of Gyro and host of the annual Keedy Klassic, and a founding member of ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out)’s Beta Chapter,

In his final days, as John reviewed the brushstrokes of friends, family and home he had painted over a lifetime, he summarized it best, “Not bad for a little kid from Clinton County, Indiana!”

He was preceded in death by his son William J. Keedy.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Leppert Funeral Home, 740 E 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240. Visitation was from 3 - 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4.

A celebration of life was held at Mystic Hills Golf Club at on Saturday, Oct. 5 from 11 - 3 p.m. (16788 20thB Road, Culver, IN 46511).

Donations can be made to the William J. Keedy Scholarship Fund, c/o The Indiana University Foundation, P.O. Box 500, Bloomington, IN 47402 or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73125-1718

Leppert Funeral Home
Plymouth Pilot
Culver Citizen