Obituary for David Arnold McKeeman
David "Dave" Arnold McKeeman, 82, of Fort Wayne, went home to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday, August 13, 2023.
He was born on November 19, 1940 in Ligonier, IN, the 7th of 11 children of Goldie and John McKeeman. As a small boy, Dave grew up in Ligonier. His family would later move to Harlan, Indiana. This is where Dave learned to work. In his early teens he helped raise chickens at the Eli Beachy’s Broiler House. Each morning and night, he walked to the chicken farm to feed and care for the chickens. At the age of 15 he went to work building swimming pools while continuing to care for chickens.
Woodburn, IN is where he met the love of his life, Karen Orthman. The childhood sweethearts married in Long Beach, California at the age of seventeen prior to Dave enlisting in the Navy. They enjoyed over sixty-one years of marriage, living in California, New Haven and Fort Wayne, IN. After spending 3 years in the United States Navy as an electronics technician; Dave, Karen and their baby girl, Carla, would return to Indiana. Dave joined Magnavox as a troubleshooter in the radar lab. While working full time at Magnavox, he would earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Supervision from Purdue University - Fort Wayne. Dave went on to have a 41-year career at Raytheon and predecessor companies working in engineering, quality, and operations with ever increasing roles and responsibilities eventually retiring as a Vice President of Raytheon (which was formerly Hughes and Magnavox)
Dave was affectionately known as Senior to all his children’s friends because he never wanted his son, David, to be called Junior. He retired to start his favorite job as Grandpa and helping with his three grandchildren. He enjoyed watching them compete in their sports and went to as many games/meets as possible. Dave also loved traveling, spending time at their lake cottage with his family and tending to his flowers.
Surviving are his daughter, Carla (Larry) Bienz and son David Jr. (Marcia), all of Fort Wayne; his three grandchildren, Dr. Jonathan McKeeman of Bethlehem, PA, Dr. Sara McKeeman of Washington D.C., and Daniel (Julia) McKeeman of Fort Wayne; Sisters Deloris Koble, Cindy (Dave) Wick, brother-in-law James (Rosie) Orthman of Fort Wayne, and sister-in-law, Louise Orthman of Paulding, OH, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Karen McKeeman, parents, John and Goldie McKeeman, sisters and brother-in-laws, Doris (George/ Lowell) Sepnieski, Nancy (Bayward) Stone, Shirley (Sonny) Smith, Dorothy (Tom) Orthman, Rita Mae McKeeman and brothers Richard Wahl, Gerald, and Larry McKeeman, brother-in-laws, Thomas and Jack Orthman and James Koble.
The funeral service is 10:30 am, Saturday, August 19, 2023, at Fairhaven Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 6557 N. Clinton St., with calling one hour prior. Calling also 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm on Friday, August 18, 2023 at the funeral home. Entombment at Concordia Cemetery Gardens.
The family wants to acknowledge the wonderful care providers at BrightStar Senior Living and ProMedica/Heartland HOSPICE for their loving care of our father, Dave. The preferred memorial contributions may be made to BrightStar Senior Living of Fort Wayne on Coldwater Road or ProMedica/Heartland HOSPICE of Fort Wayne.
He was born on November 19, 1940 in Ligonier, IN, the 7th of 11 children of Goldie and John McKeeman. As a small boy, Dave grew up in Ligonier. His family would later move to Harlan, Indiana. This is where Dave learned to work. In his early teens he helped raise chickens at the Eli Beachy’s Broiler House. Each morning and night, he walked to the chicken farm to feed and care for the chickens. At the age of 15 he went to work building swimming pools while continuing to care for chickens.
Woodburn, IN is where he met the love of his life, Karen Orthman. The childhood sweethearts married in Long Beach, California at the age of seventeen prior to Dave enlisting in the Navy. They enjoyed over sixty-one years of marriage, living in California, New Haven and Fort Wayne, IN. After spending 3 years in the United States Navy as an electronics technician; Dave, Karen and their baby girl, Carla, would return to Indiana. Dave joined Magnavox as a troubleshooter in the radar lab. While working full time at Magnavox, he would earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Supervision from Purdue University - Fort Wayne. Dave went on to have a 41-year career at Raytheon and predecessor companies working in engineering, quality, and operations with ever increasing roles and responsibilities eventually retiring as a Vice President of Raytheon (which was formerly Hughes and Magnavox)
Dave was affectionately known as Senior to all his children’s friends because he never wanted his son, David, to be called Junior. He retired to start his favorite job as Grandpa and helping with his three grandchildren. He enjoyed watching them compete in their sports and went to as many games/meets as possible. Dave also loved traveling, spending time at their lake cottage with his family and tending to his flowers.
Surviving are his daughter, Carla (Larry) Bienz and son David Jr. (Marcia), all of Fort Wayne; his three grandchildren, Dr. Jonathan McKeeman of Bethlehem, PA, Dr. Sara McKeeman of Washington D.C., and Daniel (Julia) McKeeman of Fort Wayne; Sisters Deloris Koble, Cindy (Dave) Wick, brother-in-law James (Rosie) Orthman of Fort Wayne, and sister-in-law, Louise Orthman of Paulding, OH, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Karen McKeeman, parents, John and Goldie McKeeman, sisters and brother-in-laws, Doris (George/ Lowell) Sepnieski, Nancy (Bayward) Stone, Shirley (Sonny) Smith, Dorothy (Tom) Orthman, Rita Mae McKeeman and brothers Richard Wahl, Gerald, and Larry McKeeman, brother-in-laws, Thomas and Jack Orthman and James Koble.
The funeral service is 10:30 am, Saturday, August 19, 2023, at Fairhaven Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 6557 N. Clinton St., with calling one hour prior. Calling also 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm on Friday, August 18, 2023 at the funeral home. Entombment at Concordia Cemetery Gardens.
The family wants to acknowledge the wonderful care providers at BrightStar Senior Living and ProMedica/Heartland HOSPICE for their loving care of our father, Dave. The preferred memorial contributions may be made to BrightStar Senior Living of Fort Wayne on Coldwater Road or ProMedica/Heartland HOSPICE of Fort Wayne.