E. "Buddy" Keeler John

John E. “Buddy” Keeler, age 89, of Ovid passed away at Geneva General Hospital on Saturday, September 27, 2014.

The family will be present to receive friends from 5:00 to 8:00pm on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at Covert Funeral Home, 7199 So. Main Street, Ovid. Mass will be celebrated at 11:00am on Thursday, October 2, 2014 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Ovid. Prayers of Committal and Military Honors will immediately follow in Holy Cross Cemetery. The family asks those who would like to make a contribution in Buddy’s name to kindly consider the Beverly Animal Shelter, 50 East River Road, Waterloo, NY 13165 or the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090.

Buddy was born in Cohoes on April 16, 1925, a son of the late Frank and Mary (Brennan) Keeler. He left high school early to join the United States Army honorably serving his country from 1943 to 1946 in the Philippines and New Guinea. Buddy worked at Willard Psychiatric Center as a recreational therapy aide and also worked for the Van Dyke Clinic at the end of his career.

An active member of the Ovid and Willard communities, Buddy was a charter member of the VFW in Ovid and charter member of the Bonavista Golf Course. He also was a member of the American Legion in Ovid and Holy Cross Catholic Church. As an avid sportsman throughout his entire life, Buddy enjoyed hunting, fishing, and trapping.

Friends and family will always remember his wonderful sense of humor and ability to strike up a conversation with anyone.

Buddy is survived by his wife Laura Keeler; two sons, John (Joni) Keeler of Stanley and Joseph (Kim) Keeler of Romulus; a stepson, Jimmy (Judy) Fairbanks of Seneca Falls; three grandchildren, Shannon (Tony) Marcuccilli, Shawn (Amy) Keeler, and Corie (Ryan) Smith; two step grandchildren, Tanya (Jim) Nellis and Andy McDonald; four great grandchildren, Mariah, Trista, Cameron, and Quinn; and two step great grandchildren, Alex and Brennan; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Buddy was preceded in death by two sisters, Jane Steen and Virginia Garrison.