Douglas Hobart Keefer, 76, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in Ft. Worth.
Service: 4 p.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church of Poolville with Rev. Christopher Keefer officiating. Burial: Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at Biggers Funeral Home.
Douglas Hobart Keefer was born on July 23, 1935. He was born in Baltimore, Md. to William Hobart Keefer and Florence Keefer. Douglas graduated in 1953 from Franklin High School in Reisterstown, Md. in 1953. He earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Maryland in 1958, an M.S. in Nuclear Physics from the University of Miami in 1968, another M.S. from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1975, and finally a Ph.D. from U.T.D. in Environmental Science/Nuclear Physics in 1976.
He was in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve from 1952 until 1958, and then attended Officer’s Training School at the Coast Guard Academy, graduating in 1959 as an Ensign. He entered the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Officer Corps in 1959, and retired at the rank of Commander in 1979. Douglas was one of the initial members of the Environmental Protection Agency, and received a Presidential Letter of Commendation in 1965 for his work on radio strontium in American milk supplies resulting from above ground nuclear testing. Dr. Keefer served in several states to ensure clean drinking water, safe disposal of radioactive materials, and the prevention of nuclear accidents. Upon retiring, Douglas began a consulting firm that licensed the use and users of radioactive materials.
All of that said, the most important thing that Douglas Keefer ever did was to have accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior at North Peachtree Baptist Church in Doraville, Ga. in 1970. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and was active in church when he was healthy. Upon his death, he was a member of the First Baptist Church of Poolville.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Florence Keefer.
Survivors include his his wife of 53 years, Darla Misener Keefer of Ft. Worth; daughters, Heather John and husband, Christopher of Highlands Ranch, Colo., Noelle Nelson and husband, Rex of Bowie, Md., Katharine Taylor and husband, Michael of Katy; son, Christopher Keefer and wife, Shellie of Ft. Worth; eight grandchildren, one great-grandchild; brother, Donald Keefer and wife, Mandy of Lutherville, Md.; a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.
