Richard J. Keyes' Obituary
Richard J. (Dick) Keyes, a Lee County resident since 1967, died Wednesday, August 5, in Tidewell Hospice care in Venice, Fl. He was 93 years old. Richard was born in Scioto County, Ohio, in 1926 and was the fourth of nine children of Grace and Carven Keyes. He attended school in Portsmouth, Ohio, and joined the U.S. Navy in November, 1943. He served aboard ships in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and was wounded when a ship he was on was attacked.
Following his honorable discharge, Richard attended business college in Portsmouth where he met, and eventually married, Thelma Riddlebarger and became the parents of three children—twin daughters and a son. Together they owned and managed a family shoe store in Cambridge, Ohio. As the children matured, Dick and Thelma relocated to Fort Myers, Fl., and later purchased a condo in Lehigh Acres. Dick continued working at full and part time jobs and Thelma was active in the real estate sales business.
Dick and Thelma became members of McGregor Baptist church when they first came to Fort Myers in the late 1960s and enjoyed being active in a Sunday School class. Both were born again Christians and many of their closest friendships are members of the church and Sunday School class. Dick was a Master Mason in the LaBelle Masonic Lodge, and an honorary member of the Lehigh Acres Masonic Lodge. He also belonged to the Valley of Fort Myers Scottish Rite. Four years ago he was honored by the LaBelle Lodge and the Grand Lodges of Ohio and Florida for 50 years of service to the Masonic Fraternity. He was also a life-time member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Following the death of Thelma in 2018, Dick entered the Douglas T. Jacobson State Veterans Home in Port Charlotte, Fl., and was residing there when illness required firstly hospitalization followed by entering hospice care. At this time, only the closest immediate family members will be present at his interment next to Thelma. A celebration of life service, including Masonic Services, will be scheduled when the current pandemic conditions subside.
Inurnment within Fort Myers Memorial Gardens Cemetery will take place on Thursday, August 27, 2020 at 9:30am. Those wishing to attend may do so virtually utilizing the following link: https://viewneral.zoom.us/j/96080803454?pwd=Vzc1YTd4QllpeHhsWnRHY1RBOWZlZz09
He is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Brenda Granfield of Lehigh Acres, Mrs. Pamela Torres, of Fort Myers, and a son, Richard Linn Keyes of Fort Myers. There are four grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren. Also surviving is one sister and three brothers.
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