Oliver “Ollie” John Keese

Oliver “Ollie” John Keese, longtime resident of Pacific Palisades where he and his wife raised five children, passed away on Sept. 24, 2015 in his apartment at Atria Park Assisted Living, at the age of 88.

Born in Pasadena on Oct. 27, 1926, Oliver was an accomplished scholar who earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University. Throughout his life, he remained a loyal fan of the Cardinals, tuning in whenever possible to cheer for whichever sporting event his alma mater was competing in.

Oliver served in the Naval Air Corps, and for most of his life he worked as a contract administrator/manager in the aerospace industry.

In 1956, Oliver married Beverly who, at the time, was his secretary at Air Research Manufacturing Company.

As their family grew in size, Oliver seized the opportunity to utilize his skills in architectural design to enlarge the home’s living spaces. Always thinking “outside the box,” he had a knack for creativity and even installed a second kitchen sink complete with drinking fountain.

(With the Keese household being a popular “hub” for the neighborhood kids, Ollie made sure there was always plenty of Phisoderm in the soap dispenser for those mandatory hand-washings!)

A stickler for order and routine, Oliver’s most cherished daily activity was reading the Los Angeles Times cover to cover while reclining in his favorite chair next to the floor-to-ceiling window with the sun to his back. This was also the perfect spot for him to keep a watchful eye, especially on the kitchen to ensure everything was put back in its proper place, clean and tidy. His favorite place for a nap was a saunter out to his anti-gravity chair in full sunlight.

While Ollie was a “gentle” and “proper” man, his family and friends can attest to the fact that he did indeed have strong opinions on all matters of life, which he would eagerly share with anyone who would listen. He enjoyed a good martini and conversation.

Other favorites included cars, dogs, Gelson’s golden mushroom soup which he would often savor at breakfast time, shopping at Trader Joe’s, dinners at the Golden Bull, and most of all, spending time with his grandchildren.

The following tribute was written by his granddaughter Jamie Walsh, who graduated from Arroyo Grande High School in June.

“I told you to wait until I came home so I could see you again. I was at a loss for words when I got the call this morning. I’ve never had a man give me more wisdom or insight on life than you did. Even though most of our conversations consisted of you telling me the same stories, I learned something new each time, or maybe you just expanded the truth a little.

Thank you for always encouraging me to follow my passion, even though you were convinced I should play indoor volleyball at Stanford because that’s where you went to school. And while I appreciated your efforts in serving me martinis, which were way too strong, I must confess that I poured them down the sink every time. (Sorry, Gramps.)

Thank you for coming out to watch me play beach volleyball and for always referring to my college as “Sexton” because you really just didn’t know how to say it, and I didn’t want to correct you every time.

Mostly, thank you for being a best friend to me, Oliver. I can’t believe you are gone, but I will see you again one day. I love you so much.  R.I.P.”

Predeceased in death by his second-born son Paul Keese, Oliver is survived by his wife of 60 years, Beverly; their four children Melanie, Julie, Blair and David; and four grandchildren.