~ IN MEMORY ~
WA Capt. Trevelyn Gerald 'Jerry' Keeley
August 13, 1918 ~ November 14, 2014
Word has reached us with the passing of retired Western
Airlines pilot Captain T. G. ‘Jerry’ Keeley, age 96. Jerry was a member of the
Delta Pioneers, the Delta Golden Wings and the Western Silver Chiefs. Jerry
joined Western Airlines 01-01-1941 and retired 06-01-1972, based
LAX.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Daly Leach Chapel of
Hamilton, Montana. To view/sign the online guestbook please visit the funeral
home website at http://www.dalyleachchapel.com/
Captain Keeley had most recently resided at 1180 Pine St.,
Apt. A, Hamilton MT. He was widowed in 2002 with the passing of his wife
Bobbie. Captain Keeley is survived by his companion Katie Jenkins, and his
children and many extended family members.
The Keeley family may be reached c/o son Wesley at
2525 Park Ridge Lane N , Billings, MT 59106-4702 ... (406)
655-0506
Services for Captain Keeley are planned for tomorrow November
21st in Hamilton, Montana.
Obituary........................................
Trevelyn Gerald “Jerry” Keeley, 96, of Billings, (formerly of
Hamilton) took his “final flight west” on Friday, Nov. 14, 2014. Jerry was born
Aug. 13, 1918, in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Ernest Wesley and Myrtle
Viola Shane Keeley.
His family moved to Long Beach, Calif. in 1923, where Jerry
was educated. He started flying planes in 1935, at the age of 17. He drove
trucks while earning his private pilot’s license in 1937. To build his flight
time, Jerry performed exhibition parachute jumps and attempted to break the
light plane endurance record by staying in the air for eight days. Soon after,
he earned his commercial pilot’s license and started flying for Western Airlines
in 1941. Jerry married Barbara “Bobbie” Doyle July 13, 1947 in North Hollywood,
California. The couple retired to Hamilton, in 1972, spending time in Montana,
California, and Hawaii. Jerry’s stewardess and sweet bride passed away in
December 2002. Mending his broken heart and putting a spring back in his golf
game, Jerry later met Katie Jenkins.
Jerry was a member of Delta Pioneers, Delta Golden Wings and
the Western Airlines Silver Chiefs. He was a member of St. Francis Catholic
Parish, The Elks Lodge, and the Hamilton Golf Club and never missed a Saturday
night dinner at BJs or a Wednesday at the Elks while living in Hamilton. Jerry
enjoyed trap shooting, hunting, fishing and golfing.
Jerry never went anywhere without gold dollar coins, which he
would give out generously to children both family and strangers alike, a
tradition carried on from his mother. He lived the example of putting family
first and encouraged his children to do the same. He had a heart of gold and a
“thumbs up” for everything he liked.
Surviving include his sister, Virginia Houchin; children,
Shirley and husband, Dick Payette, of Baxter, Minn.; Nancy Keeley and husband
Jonathan Williams, of Ashland, Ore.; Wesley and wife, Mary Keeley, of Billings;
Mary and husband, Dan Driscoll, of Sumner, Wash.; his sweetie, Katie Jenkins;
numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Jerry was preceded in death by his infant daughter, Kathleen;
brothers Jack and Bernard; and wife, Bobbie, in 2002.
A wake service will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21, at
the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton.
A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at
St. Francis Catholic Church with Father Jim Connor officiating. Interment will
follow at Riverview Cemetery in Hamilton. Condolences may be left for the family
at www.dalyleachchapel.com
The family suggests memorials be made to Rocky Mountain
Hospice, Billings, MT or a charity of your choice.
Have a tedious flight – We Love You!
-----------------------
Barbara F. ‘Bobbie neé Doyle Keeley
Name: Barbara F. Keeley
State of Issue: Missouri
Date of Birth: Sunday April 14, 1918
Date of Death: Monday December 16, 2002
Age at Death: 84 years, 8 months, 2 days
From: Dick Deeds Sent: Thursday,
November 20, 2014 9:40 AM
Subject: Trevelyn Gerald 'Jerry' Keeley
Jery was one of the original "good guys".
Dick
Dick could you please pass this on.
With a heavy heart I am writing to let you know that my Dad Jerry Keeley
took his final flight West.
He woke up Friday morning and was excited that they where serving sausage
and eggs for Breakfast. While getting ready in the bathroom he fell and broke
his hip. The trauma to his 96 year old body was to much and he passed away about
12 hours later at 2030 mst. I was fortunate that I wasn't on a trip and my
sister and I where there with him as he slipped the surly bonds of earth. So now
he is with my Mom resting comfortably in Heaven.
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