WLKM Radio 95.9 FM
Jacques Myrle Keeslar, age 85, of Sturgis, Mich., passed away Sunday morning, Feb. 13, 2011, at Thurston Woods Village in Sturgis.
He was born Nov. 28, 1925, in Sturgis, Mich., a son of the late Myrle and Lorena (Garman) Keeslar.
Jacque had resided in the Sturgis and Burr Oak area his entire life and was a graduate of Burr Oak High School with the class of 1943.
On Dec. 18, 1954, he married Lilija Vpmanis in Angola, Ind.
Jacques retired from the Kirsch Company in Sturgis following 22 years of dedicated employment.
He was a longtime active member of the Sturgis Church of the Nazarene.
He was proud to have served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II from Feb. 28, 1945-Oct. 8, 1947 earning the rank of Seaman First Class. Jacques was a member of Neuman-Wenzel Post #73 American Legion and enjoyed going to auction sales, collecting typewriters and reading.
He is survived by his loving and dedicated wife of 56 years Lilija; one daughter, Mary Cruea of Shipshewana, Ind.; one son, Delmar (Joann) Keeslar of Sturgis; four grandchildren, Elizabeth (Paul) Ream and Laurie Anne (Ben) Blosser, both of Burr Oak, Jacques (Rhonda) Cruea of Topeka, Ind., and John Keeslar; 14 great-grandchildren; one sister, Sharon Longacre of Middlebury, Ind.; one brother, Eldon Keeslar of Kansas; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Beverly Mingus; one brother, Ronald Keeslar; and son-in-law, Michael Cruea.
The family will receive friends from 4-7 p.m. today, Monday, at the Hackman Family Funeral Homes – Hackman Chapel, 114 S. Nottawa St., Sturgis, MI 49091, 269-651-2331. Funeral services celebrating the life of Jacques Keeslar will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Sturgis Church of the Nazarene, 70031 S. Lakeview Ave., Sturgis. The Rev. John Shoup will officiate. A graveside committal will follow the service at the Burr Oak Cemetery in Burr Oak where full military honors will be conferred by Captain John J. Kelley Post #1355 VFW and the U.S. Navy Honor Guard.
The family suggests those wishing to make a memorial donation in Mr. Keeslar’s memory consider the National Kidney Foundation, 30 East 33rd St., New York, NY 10016.
The obituary is also at www.hackmanfamilyfuneralhome.com where personal messages of support may be left for the family
