Richard Patrick Keleher, Sr.

Mr. Richard Patrick Keleher, Sr., 65, of Ocean Springs, died Sunday, February 8, 2009, in Moss Point. Mr. Keleher was born and raised in Madison, South Dakota. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1961, was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base and served in Vietnam from 1968-1969. He fell in love with the Gulf Coast, where he met and married his wife, Myrtie Franklin Keleher on July 24, 1964. He chose to settle here to raise his family. He retired from the 81st Squadron, Planning Department, at Keesler Air Force Base, in civil engineering. He was of the Catholic faith. He is preceded in death by his parents, Daniel and Vivian Keleher; aunts, Ima Jean and Dee Dee; uncles, Kenny, Joe, and Pat; and grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Chris Hansen all of South Dakota, and grandson, Aaron Keleher of Biloxi. Mr. Keleher is survived by his loving wife of forty three years, Myrtie Franklin Keleher; three sons, Richard (Victoria) Keleher, Jr., Junior Hooke, Michael R. (Angie) Keleher; two daughters, Sandy (Rudy) Balius and Dusti (Brian) Kinney; brother, Michael Keleher of Colorado; sister, Sancha Keleher of Nebraska; twelve grandchildren, Misty Flowers, Rudy Balius, III, Josh and Kimberly Yates, Jacqueline and Wesley Keleher, Dustin, Camron, Zachary, and Cody Kinney, and Brandon and Brittany Busby, and five great- grandchildren, Dakota and Dusty Flowers, Hayden Yates, Kelsey Poulos and Caden Busby. He is also survived by numerous friends and family members. Visitation will be on Thursday, February 12, 2009, from 6-8 PM, at the Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home. On Friday, February 13, 2009, there will be a 10 AM chapel service in the funeral home. Burial will follow in Crestlawn Memorial Park.