Individual Details
Billy Jack "Opa" Keeling
(14 Jun 1927 - 24 Jun 2012)
Billy Jack "Opa" Keeling was born on June 14, 1927 in Long Beach, California to Joseph L. and Ella Mae (Couch) Keeling. He died on June 24, 2012 in Lawton, Oklahoma at the age of 85.
Billy moved from California to the Central High area of Oklahoma at a young age. He remained in the area attending school and working on the family farm until 1948 when he enlisted in the US Army. Billy was stationed in Germany as part of the occupation force and was honorably discharged in 1950. He was employed in the civil service at Ft Sill upon his return to the area, and married Irmgard Jones in 1970. They spent 1979-1986 and 1987-1991 in Stuttgart, Germany where Billy worked as a supply technician for Tank Automotive Command (TACOM). He retired in 1991 and returned to Lawton where Billy enjoyed boating and water sports, watching westerns and spending time in his shop working on just about anything his family needed fixed. Billy was a long time active member of Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF).
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include his wife Irmgard of Lawton; 3 daughters, Marion Hendrick of Lawton, Monika Reed and husband Ronnie of Wichita Falls, and Nanette Jobe and husband Robert from east of Lawton; a son, Desmond Jones and wife Loisdawn (LD) of Duncan; 6 grandchildren, Adriane Hendrick, Jarod Hendrick, Kersten Reed, Dahlia Reed, Tara Ramirez and her daughter Cailin, and Caleb Jobe; cousins, Don Couch and wife Janette of Duncan and James Couch of Lawton, and many very special longtime friends.
Please do not send flowers, make donations to the Lawton Humane Society in Billy's name. Billy's online guestbook may be signed and condolences sent by visiting: www.whineryhuddleston.com .
Thank you Billy (Opa) for letting us be a part of your life!
Service:
10:00 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at Sunset Memorial Gardens 8900 NW Cache Road Lawton Oklahoma 73505
Cemetery:
Sunset Memorial Gardens 8900 NW Cache Road Lawton Oklahoma 73505
Billy moved from California to the Central High area of Oklahoma at a young age. He remained in the area attending school and working on the family farm until 1948 when he enlisted in the US Army. Billy was stationed in Germany as part of the occupation force and was honorably discharged in 1950. He was employed in the civil service at Ft Sill upon his return to the area, and married Irmgard Jones in 1970. They spent 1979-1986 and 1987-1991 in Stuttgart, Germany where Billy worked as a supply technician for Tank Automotive Command (TACOM). He retired in 1991 and returned to Lawton where Billy enjoyed boating and water sports, watching westerns and spending time in his shop working on just about anything his family needed fixed. Billy was a long time active member of Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF).
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include his wife Irmgard of Lawton; 3 daughters, Marion Hendrick of Lawton, Monika Reed and husband Ronnie of Wichita Falls, and Nanette Jobe and husband Robert from east of Lawton; a son, Desmond Jones and wife Loisdawn (LD) of Duncan; 6 grandchildren, Adriane Hendrick, Jarod Hendrick, Kersten Reed, Dahlia Reed, Tara Ramirez and her daughter Cailin, and Caleb Jobe; cousins, Don Couch and wife Janette of Duncan and James Couch of Lawton, and many very special longtime friends.
Please do not send flowers, make donations to the Lawton Humane Society in Billy's name. Billy's online guestbook may be signed and condolences sent by visiting: www.whineryhuddleston.com .
Thank you Billy (Opa) for letting us be a part of your life!
Service:
10:00 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at Sunset Memorial Gardens 8900 NW Cache Road Lawton Oklahoma 73505
Cemetery:
Sunset Memorial Gardens 8900 NW Cache Road Lawton Oklahoma 73505
Events
| Birth | 14 Jun 1927 | Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California | |||
| Census (family)-shared | 11 Apr 1930 | (Thomas Jefferson Couch and Mary Magdelena Thompson) Hulen, Comanche County, Oklahoma |  |  | |
| Education | 1933 | Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma | | | |
| Education | 1935 | School enrollment - Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma | | | |
| Census (family)-shared | 3 May 1940 | (Thomas Jefferson Couch and Mary Magdelena Thompson) Zella, Comanche County, Oklahoma | | | |
| Marriage | 1970 | Oklahoma - Living | |||
| Residence | 17 Jul 2001 | Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma | | | |
| Death | 24 Jun 2012 | Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma | |||
| Obituary | 26 Jun 2012 | Oklahoma | | | |
| Burial | Sunset Memorial Gardens, Lawton, Comanche County, Oklahoma | |
Families
| Spouse | Living |
| Father | Joseph Leonard Keeling (1885 - 1966) |
| Mother | Ella Mae Couch (1892 - 1968) |
Notes
Census (family)-shared
Thomas J Couch Head Male 61 Texas - Farmer, general farmLena Couch Wife Female 55 Texas
Ella M Keeling Daughter Female 35 Texas
Billy J Keeling Grandson Male 2 California
Education
Billie Jack KeelingEvent Type: School enrollment
Event Date: 1933
Event Place: Lawton, Comanche, Oklahoma, United States
Event Place (Original): Lawton,
Gender: Male
Age: 5
Race: White
Birth Date: 14 Jun 1927
Parent Name: Ella Mae Keeling
Education
Billy J KeelingEvent Type: School enrollment
Event Date: 1935
Event Place: Lawton, Comanche, Oklahoma, United States
Event Place (Original): Lawton,
Gender: Male
Age: 7
Birth Date: 14 Jun 1927
Parent Name: T J Couch [grandfather]
Census (family)-shared
Thomas J Couch Head Male 73 Texas - FarmingLena Couch Wife Female 65 Texas
Billy Jack Keeling Grandson Male 12 California
Ella Mae Keeling Daughter Female 47 Texas
Residence
Billy Jack KeelingEvent Type: Residence
Event Date: 17 Jul 2001
Event Place: Lawton, Comanche, Oklahoma, United States
Event Place (Original): Lawton, Oklahoma, United States
Phone Number: (580) 353-4251
Previous Residence: Lawton, Oklahoma 73502
Previous Residence Postal Code: 73502
Birth Date: 14 Jun 1927
Second Previous Residence Place: Burkburnett, Texas 76354
Third Previous Residence Place: Lawton, Oklahoma 73505
2nd Address Date: 1 Jul 1996-15 May 2005
3rd Address Date: 1 Mar 1993-25 Mar 2008
Obituary
Deceased Name: Billy Jack Or Opa KeelingEvent Type: Obituary
Event Date: 26 Jun 2012
Event Place: Oklahoma, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 85
Relationship to Deceased: Deceased
Birth Year (Estimated): 1927
Death Date: 24 Jun 2012
Endnotes
1. United States Census, 1930 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC7H-3YP.
2. Oklahoma, School Records, 1895-1936 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2JD-LCSY.
3. Oklahoma, School Records, 1895-1936 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2JZ-4J29.
4. United States Census, 1940 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBJP-48T.
5. United States Public Records, 1970-2009 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KG7X-8VG.
6. United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5K-J9QH.
7. Find a Grave Memorial 101124988.