Richard Lee Keets, 85 of rural Hayesville died Sunday February 9, 2020 at his residence. He was born March 25, 1934 in Ashland the son of Howard and Martha Ludwig Keets. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict on the U.S.S. Capre Esperance Aircraft Carrier, making 23 trips across the Pacific.
Richard was a lifelong farmer and had worked for Cooper Brothers Construction, Reiter Dairy, Getz Construction, Mansfield Asphalt Paving, where he worked 32 years as a paving superintendent and then retired from the Ashland Co. Engineers Office where he was the County Construction Coordinator for engineer Larry Chamberlain. Richard attended Ohio State University for Engineering and was a member of the Ashland Brethren in Christ Church.
He was a past FFA and 4-H’er and had showed dairy and rabbits at the Ashland County fair. Richard was a tractor puller at the Ashland and Loudonville fairs, pulling with a 1950 John Deere A and was a member of the Thomas Community Club. He was an avid deer, turkey and coon hunter.