We first dived with Randy in 1988 and regularly until Peter Island closed. He was an inspiring person and outstanding dive instructor and we all miss him. A photo that Armando Jenik took of Randy and I is mounted in my study. Best wishes from Linda, Peter, Andrew, Elizabeth and I.
Allen Fagenholz
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Maritha, I WILL dive with you again in the future to Santa Monica Rock to pat OctoRandy on the head. The swell was too much last month to get into the water there -- I think Randy was probably just wanting to have some time alone with the sharks. :-)
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Maritha,
I was saddened to just hear of Randy’s passing. He was always a bright spot for me on our trips to Peter Island. He clearly loved his family and what he did for a living. That is a real gift today. I’m sure you will miss him dearly, but always have wonderful memories to hold on to.
Stay well,
Jay Shaw
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My husband, Miss Cotton, used to teach at Chandler School and instantly befriended Randy. He would do his laundry at Mike’s house once a week and take care of Mike and his wife, Pattie”s infant daughter, Kristine., for a few hours. He hated changing diapers, but took good care of the Cottons’ precious baby. Randy bought her one of her favorite books, Where The Wild Things Are. We love and miss Randy so much - our camping memories on Baja are some of our most wonderful and vivid moments of all time. Love to his beautiful wife and children.
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2001, Santa Monica Rock, BVI
Ever generous, Randy swimming hard to stage the photo
— with
Randy and three very cooperative Cobia
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When I came to the BVI in the aftermath of Irma in 2017, I was not looking for love, but I ended up working with the Randy’s incredible daughter Lauren and romance blossomed. After the initial hurricane response we decided to go to South Africa together for some much needed down-time, but it seemed appropriate that I first meet Laurens parents so they knew exactly who this random British guy was, taking their daughter to the other side of the world.
Whilst I don’t remember much about that specific meeting, it was the start of getting to know Randy and Maritha and becoming part of their family. Maritha sometimes observes that I didn’t know Randy before he got sick, but in the time I have known Randy I did see everything that everyone remembers him for. His love for his family, his obsession with the marine world, his love for dogs, his passion for reading and thirst for knowledge, his excited smile when he is anywhere a dive boat, or just talking about being anywhere near a dive boat, and his infectious laugh.
Randy was kind and funny and welcomed me into the family. I am incredibly grateful that he trusted me to look after his precious daughter, and that he was there when Lauren and I got married, and that he knew he had a grandchild on the way when he passed. Little Mia has Randy’s deep blue eyes, and she will know all about him as we keep Randy’s memory alive. Randy was a truly lovely man who I enjoyed knowing so much, and will always miss.
Go well, Randy. A fair wind and following seas.
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Alan and I thought the world of Randy. He took our sons out diving when they were just teenagers, cementing their love for marine life and the underwater world. He was also an amazing writer, and wrote several informative and fun articles about diving in the BVI for the BVI Welcome Guide when I was the editor. We, like everyone else who knew him, will miss him greatly but his memory will live on in our hearts.
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Its been hard ot know what to write here...Randy & Maritha were our nieghbours on Havers when I first arrived to live with my parents & are forever impregnated in my mind as part of my memeories of Tortola.I will never forget the warmth & home-from-home feeling I found in their house, making me feel part of their family, an experience they managed to offer to just about anyone who walked through their door. Many days Marither would call me from across the yard & I would just pop in for the evening & later was trusted to look after Lauren while Randy & Maritha set off on their grand trip to the Galapagos.I recall the yearly 'surprise' birthday party I would help create for Randy, baking a favorite chocolate cake & inviting all his many diving friends to join in & be ready to shout Happy Birthday as he entered the house, pretending just for show to be surprised, but of course he was always truly delighted!I was always struck by the open heartedness & even though I felt shy & unsure Randy was as welcoming & inclusive of me as he was of old time friends. He held a real sense of fairness to humans &, as I later discovered, to all marine life too! I can barely imagine Randy without a smile on his face & was often touched to see how gently he dealt with Lauren & how much determination he had to give both she & Austin as much fun as he could engineer.I just read this, which helps me with the loss of my own family members & thought to share it here too.Much love to all the Keils."A death comes suddenly, quite unexpectedly, and you are left in shock. There is a period of numbness, and then the new reality sets in. Someone you took for granted would always be here, even though you know that death comes calling to all, is suddenly not available to call. And there you err. Death is a transition to another state of being. Perhaps you know this already, but please know that the body leaves an energetic signature, as do patterns of interacting. It requires an adjustment to the sudden lack of what you call a lifetime of interacting with what are energetic patterns. If this terminology sounds impersonal, may this remind you to now seek that which is not impersonal: the soul. It is still here. Where else could it go when it is always and already here, there, and everywhere, as are you. And in this awareness, come calling soul to soul and know that you are heard.
You are so very loved."
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Dearest Lauren, Maritha and Austin. Thinking of you all and your very very special Dad today. What a wonderful, kind, loving man Randy was. We had the absolute pleasure of knowing him, sadly for only a very short time. He was so patient and chuckling whenever we saw him - especially with our three daughters and our dog . How lucky you are to have had him . All our love James, Rosie, Mathilda, Jemima and Theadora xx
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I worked with Randy for a short time in the days of Baskin in the Sun. Randy new I was terrified of Squid and whenever he could, if we were diving togehter he would make the squid ink just to freak me out. He would come up to the boat with that trademark grin and laugh. He taught me so much. A true legend.
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There are several memories I have of Randy and all of them reflect how he gave 100% and got stuck in, considering everyone around him. My family spent a lot of time with the Keils, having lived in the BVI with a shared love of 'Tolans and the islands.
Lauren and I had a joint birthday party at the Botanical Gardens and I remember how Randy was in charge of the games. Dressed like Peter Pan, Randy was committed and got everyone involved, no one felt left out. Lauren and I were crawling along the grass trying to win the game but looking like soldiers in (shredded) Princess dresses! We were so happy and the day was full of laughter, Randy's games were a big part of that along with the huge amount of prep our mothers put into the day. As a parent myself, I often wonder if my daughter will remember the things we do for birthdays and special occasions. I now fondly recall that day with Randy, Maritha and Lauren. I know that Randy will always live on in my memories.
Shortly before Tim and I got married, I took him out to the BVI. Randy and Maritha were so kind to host us and take us scuba diving. As we started a dive on the wreck of the Rhone, Lauren darted off after baby black tip reef sharks we me in tow, while my poor fiance was trying to get his ears to equalise. Maritha stayed with Tim the whole dive. Afterwards, Randy recognised how kind Maritha was sharing with us that she forfeited going deeper to make sure Tim had a great experience too. Randy wanted us all to feel included and publically honoured what Maritha had done. The photo below was from after that dive as we spent time at Cooper Island Beach Club.
My hope is that during Randy's Memorial, we can honour Randy and give Maritha, Lauren, Austin and the whole family space to reflect and grieve. I am holding everyone in my prayers and my heart goes out to the whole family, in love.
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I have so much gratitude for Randy and and his family. He played a pivotal role in my life's journey. If it was not for my opportunity to work with Randy at Paradise Watersports on Peter Island beginning 2012, I would not be where I am now. Spending countless hours blowing bubbles with him, and our guests who were visiting the resort, I adopted his passion and respect for our unique ecosystem. Giggling at his fish counting and his humorous underwater slate written jokes, I learned just how much time can be spend around 1 coral head! .... he truly showed me the passion and love for the profession I had chosen. Leaving my 3 year old son Lochlan playing in the wetsuit rinse bucket, I ventured off with Randy to explore the most magical places he was so eagar to share. Thank you Randy and family for your open hospitality. I cherish all the wonderful memories of many many years of fun, laughs, ferry ride novel comparisons, Thanksgiving dinners, shared bottles of red, brillant surface interval conversations and infinitude numbers of scuba bubbles! I love you all! Randy, I know you are still here with us and I think that juvenile spotted drum just winked at me! ;)
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2011, The Baths National Park, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
Randy, in his capacity as a long serving National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands Board member on a site visit to the Baths National Park to evaluate the outputs of a capital project funded by the European Union
— with
BVI Government representatives and EU project partners
and NPTVI Director Joseph Smith Abbott
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“May you be comforted by the outpouring of love surrounding you.” “We are by your side during this most difficult time .”
“Sending you our love and prayers today and peace in all the days ahead.” “Wishing you peace and comfort in Jesus name.”
Frankie and sherril.
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In late June 1986 I arrived on Tortola with my good friend Bill Butlin who went on to work for Blue Water Divers. We both worked in Qatar and a vacation to dive in the BVI was a last Minute thing for me. We came for a week and Bill spent 2. I stayed for 3 more. This was a lot to do with meeting Randy.
Being BSAC members we thought we knew everything, on diving with Randy we found out we knew nothing, his knowledge and professionalism was something we had never seen before. It was no longer there is a fish but he told us the species .
I came back to Tortola in October 86 and started working with Randy at Baskin in the Sun. He taught me so much about leading dive tours sea life and dive sites ( line up the end of Pelican Island with his house and your at dry rocks west ).
Losing Randy is a great loss to the dive and hospitality industry in the BVI and we will never replace him but there are thousands of diver who have inhanced their under water experience due to Randy.
Fair winds and calm seas my friend.
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I never got the opportunity to know Randy but was happy to read so many beautiful, memorable tributes of friends who went diving with him and had many great adventures together. What a great man he was.
I got to know Maritha recently as a most caring wife when she was taking care of Randy's health in his last days.
After my late wife Claudette passed away in 2021, Maritha started helping us to manage our property in BVI, and we could not have found a better human being to manage the property for us. She was juggling the care of a sick husband with property management work back then. I saw the strength of this caring wife and a property manager multitasking many things together. Even though it was tough for her, she did everything well back then and still does everything well now with her beautiful Christian spirit and her genuine heart.
I pray that God grant her and the children the grace to bear the loss of her husband and to strengthen them and comfort them always.
May Randy's soul continue to rest in perfect peace.
Kay Elegbede
Houston Texas.
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I remember meeting Randy. I remember because of the conversation. It was the early 80’s on Treasure Isle Jetty, Randy was working for Aquatic Centers. I was new to the BVI, having recently arrived from The Abacos. We introduced ourselves on the dock and shared stories. Clear as day I remember that huge smile on his face as he told me about his girlfriend. He told me she was still in the States, was coming down soon, that she was beautiful, blonde hair and blue eyes, and he couldn’t wait for her to get there. He told me where she was, what she did, her athletic achievements, that her name was Maritha, and how much he missed her. I remember thinking, wow, this guy is in love.
And later, when she arrived, of course I fell in love with her too. She was beautiful just like he said, inside and out. I went to their wedding on Cooper Island, and to their apartment weekly to watch ‘Hill Street Blues’. We became and remained friends. I was impressed with his work ethic and his love of books. They took me diving, got me certified and I still have my Aquatic Center Wreck of the Rhone t-shirt. What a guy he was, truly we lost him too soon.
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Dearest Keil family,
Thinking of all of you on Father's Day, a day you would normally gather to celebrate Randy. What a great person to celebrate! A great teacher and champion of the ocean. I owe many of my scuba diving experiences to Randy. Randy was a patient and kind teacher-always willing to share and show you new things on every dive (Even if it was your 10th time asking him to identify a fish or type of coral). Randy provided you a sense of security on every dive-he was a constant you could count on making your dive safe, no matter the conditions.
In addition to learning from Randy, I always enjoyed talking sports with him-on boat rides to Peter Island, between dives, and at dinner following a long day of diving. He had a well-rounded knowledge of sports, not just American football.
Randy had a sense of mystery behind him-you felt like you knew only a few aspects of his life, no matter how much you talked with him. I am fortunate for the time I did have with him, and will fondly remember the great trips to the BVI and Palau with all of our diving crew.
My thoughts and prayers are with all of you as Randy's memorial quickly approaches. I will be with you in spirit. Randy-may you rest in peace. I look forward to the day we meet again.
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