| Notes |
- Herschel Fred Keathley was born at Brushy Creek Farm, Des Arc, Missouri. He was the tenth of thirteen children of William Tyler and Martha Evaline Lewis Keathley.
When Herschel was still a toddler, his father was given the opportunity to oversee the County Poor Farm outside of Ironton. The family loaded all their belongings onto wagons, and headed north, with Herschel sitting in his mother's lap the entire way.
Herschel and his brothers and sisters have documented their childhood years by writing down their wonderful stories. They were hard working, but also knew how to have fun and exhibited the Keathley sense of humor.
When Herschel was 22, he met Alice Jane Randolph. Alice Jane became pregnant, and the couple married in August of 1931. Daughter Georgia Gene (Jean) was born the following November.
Alice Jane and Herschel both had strong personalities, and this led to their divorce when Jean was about seven. Herschel moved to Lassen Park, California to work for his brother Elmer, and soon after had Alice Jane and Jean join him there. The couple was remarried in 1940 because Herschel was joining the Navy to fight in World War II. If something were to happen to him, the military benefits would go to Jean.
Not long after Herschel returned from the War, the couple divorced again. Herschel had met Peggy Stearns, and they were married in 1945. Herschel had always wanted to live in Alaska, and he moved his new wife to Spenard, where their three children (Sandy,Debi and Skip) were born. He owned a tourist lodge and worked in construction.
After raising their three children, Herschel and Peggy were divorced, and he returned to his childhood home of Ironton. There he lived out his days reconnecting with his remaining brothers and sisters and getting to know his granddaughter Judy, and great grandson JT.
Herschel died in August of 1990 of a heart attack. His daughter Jean reunited with her three half siblings to handle arrangements. The four had only met once in the late 1950's, but a casual observer would have thought they had known each other their entire lives.
In 1992, Jean and her husband John, Skip, Judy, and JT travelled to Bellingham, Washington, the home of sisters Sandy and Debi. The group took Herschel's ashes out on the water and scattered them over the Sound.
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1909 - 1990 (81 years)
