Keefer

Donald Claude Keefer, 84, of West Monterey passed away late Monday morning at the emergency room of Butler Memorial Hospital following a brief illness.

Born in West Monterey, May 20, 1924, he was the son of the late David Edison and Edna Bird McCoy Keefer.

After attending the former Parker High School, he studied the craft of welding at Struthers Wells at Titusville.

A veteran of World War II, he served with the U.S. Navy as an aviation metalsmith. He was honorably discharged with the rank of petty officer second class from the Naval facility at Corpus Christi, Texas.

Claude then began a 41-year career with the Armco Steel Corp. in Butler, now AK Steel, retiring in 1983.

He enjoyed many aspects of outdoor recreation.

He was affiliated with the Park Hill Church of God at West Freedom.

Surviving are his wife, Mary Alice Daubenspeck Keefer, whom he married June 28, 1948; one daughter, Diana Keefer McLucas and her husband, Daniel, of Norwalk, Ohio; one son, David G. Keefer and his wife, Francine, of Butler; four grandchildren, Jennifer McLucas, Julie Hagerman and Matthew and Melanie Keefer; seven great-grandchildren; a sister, Jane Brooks of Lakeland, Fla.; two brothers, William Keefer of Butler and James Keefer of Harrisville; and a number of nieces and nephews.

<B>KEEFER</B> — Friends of Donald Claude Keefer, who died Monday, May 4, 2009, may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the <B>H. Jack Buzard Funeral Home</B>, Wayne Street, Parker. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in the funeral home with the Rev. Korona Say, a Church of God minister, officiating. Burial will follow at the West Monterey Cemetery.Members of the VFW and American Legion posts of Parker will conduct a military veterans service at 10:45 a.m. Friday at the funeral home.Information also is available at www.buzardfuneralhomes.com.