August 13, 2022

David Frederick Keiser, age 95 passed away peacefully at home on August 13, 2022.

Dave was born on October 10, 1926, in Reading Pennsylvania to Frederick and Mary Keiser. He married Mary Eleanor Fox on June 25, 1950. Dave earned a bachelor's degree in Forestry from Penn State University and a master's degree in forestry from Oregon State University.

Dave enlisted in the Navy in 1943 and served in the Pacific Conflict during WWII as a Navy Corpsman with the Marine Corps. His division was involved in the battles on the islands of Saipan and Okinawa. When the war ended, he was part of the occupying forces entering Nagasaki, Japan approximately one week after the city was struck by the atom bomb. Dave spent months in Japan and truly enjoyed the Japanese. He met a Japanese physician who needed medical supplies and since Dave was a Navy Corpsman ("Medic") he was able to help supply the doctor with needed medical items. He was invited to dinner with the doctor's family and learned to speak some Japanese.

After the war he attended Penn State University where he met the love of his life Mary Fox. They married and Dave took his new bride west to Lewiston, Idaho. He worked briefly for a large lumber company until he was called back into service for the Korean War. In San Diego he joined the Marine Corps. In boot camp he was awarded an expert rifleman distinction and was named squad leader. He was offered to be a platoon leader but chose to work in a radar technology facility on Treasure Island in San Francisco so he could avoid going into combat again. The war ended soon after and he was discharged. He secured a position with the US Forest Service in Prineville, Oregon. Over the following years the family moved to Tillamook, Mapleton, Zig Zag and then Medford. He served as district ranger and with timber staff management. Dave left the Forest Service in 1964 when he was to be transferred to Denver. He and Mary decided Southern Oregon was a great place to raise their five children.

After leaving the Forest Service Dave managed the Mt. Ashland Ski Area for one season and then accepted the position of head forester for Kogap Manufacturing in Medford. Dave loved being a forester. He retired from Kogap then worked a couple years as a forester for Medco.

Dave did everything to the max. He ran in the first Pear Blossom Run and completed about 12 marathons. He enjoyed horseback riding competing in three-day eventing and later dressage. He and Mary were avid tennis players and skiers. He was instrumental in the development of the Mt Ashland Ski Racing Association, with all five children being competitive ski racers. His lifelong passions were fishing and hunting. He completed a "Grand Slam" of sheep and was still fishing and duck hunting at age 94.

He lived on his own with his dog and horse on 5 acres until two weeks prior to his passing. He never lost his quick wit with which he entertained nurses and staff while in the hospital for his short illness.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, his son Mark Keiser and wife Mary Keiser. He is survived by four children, Kathy Butler (De), Eric Keiser (Leslie), Lauri Wimmer (Tom) and Nancy Ptacek, twelve grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. 

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