Obituary: John Ward McKeever

John Ward McKeever, age 76, of Oak Ridge, died unexpectedly but peacefully in his sleep at home on Tuesday, March 10.

He was born March 30, 1938, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the son of John Leslie and Norma Rymer McKeever, who preceded him in death.

John grew up in Green Bay, where his love of science was awakened by his sixth-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School; he always remembered and appreciated that.

His love of music was awakened by his mother who was a piano teacher and taught him until he excelled and needed a more advanced teacher. He learned to play the violin at a young age. Throughout his life, he played with many organizations: the Green Bay Symphonette, the Oak Ridge Community Orchestra, and the Oak Ridge Symphony. 

He graduated from West High School in June 1956. He went on to school at Case Institute of Technology in Cleveland, Ohio, and received a Bachelor of Science in 1960.

John then married his childhood sweetheart, Lois, in June 1960 and moved his new bride to Oak Ridge to begin working for Union Carbide. While raising a family and working at Union Carbide, John went on to earn his Masters of Science and PhD in Physics from the University of Tennessee in 1973. He worked on many “top secret” projects throughout the years and retired from Oak Ridge National Laboratory at the age of 71. Because he loved science so much, he continued to surround himself with scientists. He organized the Thursday “Lunch Bunch” of friends and scientists. Sometime later, he joined a small group of scientists making up the company EMCO. He loved his friends like he did his family.

John is survived by his childhood sweetheart and wife of 54 years, Lois Mae McKeever; son David Ward McKeever and wife Suzi of Edmond, Oklahoma; son Mark Maxwell McKeever and wife Tina of Powell; daughter Lynn Marie and husband Sammy Stafford of Pearisburg, Virginia.; seven grandchildren, John David McKeever and wife Christian of Orlando, Florida, Michael Sean McKeever Combat Engineer at Camp Pendleton, California, Wesley Scott McKeever of Edmond, Oklahoma, Heather Joy McKeever of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Robert Scott McKeever of Maynardville, Taylor Isaacs and wife Whitney of Knoxville, and Abigail Isaacs of Knoxville; two great-grandchildren with one due in August in Orlando, Florida; brother-in-law Harry Wood of Yorba Linda, California; two nephews, one niece, and two great-nieces Danny and wife Kris of Los Angeles, California; Mark Wood and wife Liz and daughter Alicia of Monticello, Minnesota; Cheryl Wood Columbus and husband Louis and daughter Alyssa of Orange County, California; and three cousins who were his close friends and childhood playmates, Sally Hanna of Green Bay, Wisconsin; Sandy Hamilton of Eau Claire, Wisconsin; and Fred Henderson of Wisconsin.

He loved Jesus, his wife, his family, and their pets, science, and music. He leaves an incredible legacy of loved ones and stories of shared experiences. He enjoyed sitting back and would grin in delight while he watched people have fun. As Abigail summed up, “Everyone loved Papa, and Papa loved everyone.”

The family received friends Friday, March 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Weatherford Mortuary in Oak Ridge. The family would enjoy receiving written memories. The funeral service began at 1 p.m. followed by internment at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.

The family asks that any memorials in lieu of flowers be made in John’s memory to the Oak Ridge Civic Music Association, 320 Robertsville Rd, Suite 1, Oak Ridge, TN 37830.

An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.