Richard Dale Keck

Richard Dale Keck, aged 76, passed away on July 19, 2024, at CRMC in Coffeyville, Kansas, after a courageous battle with cancer.  

Richard was born January 3, 1948, to Glenn A. and Constantina “Connie” (Nickas) Keck Jr. in Hayward, California. The family moved to several places during his youth, including Tyro and Coffeyville, and eventually settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he graduated high school in 1966. After graduation, he joined the Army during the Vietnam War, and spent a year stationed in Thailand. While in the Army, he met and married Mary Bailey. Richard was discharged in 1970 and took a position in Albuquerque within the US Department of Energy, where he spent his entire career. In 1973, he and Mary welcomed their only son, David, who was a source of immense pride for Richard throughout his life. After his retirement, he settled in Coffeyville, where he met his second wife, Karla (Marang) . He took on Karla’s four children and many grandchildren as his own, and enjoyed entertaining the family at various gatherings with his unique brand of humor. The family’s enjoyment of his humor varied.  

Richard was an avid sports fan. In his youth he was on his high school track and cross-country teams, and that love of sports continued into his adulthood where he played recreational softball and then coached his son David’s youth baseball and basketball teams. He enjoyed following the NY Yankees and the Dallas Cowboys, but only when they were winning. The rest of the time he didn’t enjoy following them, but he watched nearly every game anyway. He was also a supporter of local sports, attending many of the FKHS football and basketball games.  

In 2004, Richard began volunteering at the Genesis Food Pantry in Coffeyville, where he was the Procurement Director. Many of his days in retirement were spent in service to his community, often driving as far as Bentonville, Arkansas, to obtain the food supplies and other items donated to those in need. In January 2024 he was honored by the Genesis board for his 20 years of volunteer service, which he often said was some of the most enjoyable work he ever did. Even as his illness prevented him from performing some of the physical labor he once did, he would still visit the pantry often to speak to the volunteers and community members there, blessing them with his legendary wit.  

Richard’s absence will leave quite a hole in our lives. We will miss his kindness, his generosity, his off-key singing along with the radio which he swore was better than the real thing, and the hit-or-miss humor that was a source of constant dispute about exactly how much was hit and how much was miss. Upon reflection, we have decided to declare it (mostly) a hit. 

 He is preceded in death by his parents, and his brothers Bruce and Bill. He is survived by his wife Karla, his son David and wife Samantha, Karla’s granddaughter Emma who Richard and Karla raised together, his sister-in-law Irene Keck, his stepchildren Niki, Andrea, Kimberly, and Kurtis, and their spouses, along with their 12 grandchildren.  

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Genesis of Coffeyville, where Richard spent more than two decades serving the community. Donations made payable to Genesis can be sent to Ford-Wulf-Bruns; please write “In Memory of Richard Keck” in the memo.  

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at Ford-Wulf-Bruns Chapel from 5 to 7pm. Services are scheduled for Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at 10am at Ford-Wulf-Bruns Chapel, 2405 Woodland Ave., Coffeyville with Pastor Doug Mund officiating. Committal services will be held following the service at the Veterans Memorial Patio in Fairview Cemetery with military honors. Immediately following committal services Richard will be laid to rest in Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in the garden of Masonic. Services will be streamed under Richard's obituary page where you may also leave a message of condolence or share memory at https://www.fordwulfbrunschapel.com/obituaries/richard-keck