Robert (Bob) LeRoy Keefe Jr., formerly of Chadds Ford

Robert LeRoy Keefe Jr.
Robert LeRoy Keefe Jr.

Robert (Bob) LeRoy Keefe Jr., beloved husband and father, died Oct. 13,  in California at the age of 92.

Born in Springfield, Mass., Bob attended the University of Massachusetts, where he received a B.S. in Chemistry. He enlisted in the Army during WWII. During this time he met his wife, Christina, an Army nurse, in Newport News, Va. He continued his military career in the Army Reserves, ultimately attaining the rank of full colonel. He received a diploma from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in 1963, and a diploma from the US Army War College in 1972. He received a Certificate of Commendation for Meritorious and Outstanding Service in 1945 and the Army Commendation Medal in 1968. He was appointed Commanding Officer of the 1175th US Army Terminal, Pedricktown Support Facility, Pedricktown, NJ in 1969. Bob retired in 1983 as Commanding Officer, 79th ARCOM.

During the years he served in the Army Reserve, he also had a 43-year career with the DuPont Co. After obtaining an additional bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech, he joined the DuPont Co. at the Carothers Research Laboratory in 1947 and continued his studies at the University of Delaware from 1950 through 1955 as a graduate student majoring in chemical engineering. His accomplishments at DuPont included 13 U.S. patents covering a range of fiber process, product and rubber reinforcing technology. He concentrated on tire reinforcement technology with Kevlar© aramid and built the first tires reinforced with Kevlar© aramid in 1967. He had four major papers presented at various symposiums from 1982-84. He achieved the highest level in his field at DuPont as Research Fellow.

Bob resided in Chadds Ford, with his wife and three children in the home he and Tina built. In 1961, he was appointed by the governor of Pennsylvania as the director of civil defense, Birmingham Township, Delaware County. He also served on the Unionville Chadds Ford School Board from 1995 to 1999.

Robert is preceded in death by his parents Robert LeRoy Keefe Sr. and Helen Rebecca (Driscoll) Keefe of Springfield, Mass, his wife Christina H. Keefe of Chadds Ford, , and son Robert Kevin Keefe of Denver, Colo. and Chadds Ford. He is survived by his daughter Tara Ellen Keefe and her wife Dr. Deborah Ann Banskter of Benicia, Calif.; his daughter Rebecca Keefe Brown and her husband Duane Brown of Middletown, Del.; their children Matthew Timothy Brown, and Michael Christopher Brown of Middletown,  and Megan Melissa Brown and his great-grandchildren, Cameron Joseph Brown, Brynnleigh Mae Martz and Cassidy Madison Martz of Wilmington.

Bob's easy smile and quick wit will be terribly missed by his family and his many friends.

Friends may call on the family Friday, Oct. 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Chandler Funeral Home, 2506 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803. Services will be held at Christ Church Christiana Hundred in Greenville, on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 11 a.m.. Interment will follow at Birmingham Lafayette Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to the Alzheimer's Association , 2306 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE, 19805.

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