Samuel L. "Pops" Keeton

Samuel Lester “Pops” Keeton, 84, of Uhrichsville, formerly of Strasburg, passed away on Thursday, February 28, 2013 at Union Hospital in Dover after a sudden illness. Born July 4, 1928 in Ashland, Kentucky, he was a son of the late John Wallace and Rose (O’Neal) Keeton.

A resident of Tuscarawas County for over thirty years, Pops was employed by Mushrush Construction for many years, laying many of the area’s gas lines. Later, he enjoyed working for a number of area farms until his health prevented him. Pops loved being out in nature and spent many happy times fishing, hunting, searching for arrowheads, and just walking in the woods so that he could take in the beauty of nature’s sights and sounds. He was an avid NASCAR fan who had been a stock car driver in his younger years, winning his last race at age 62. He also enjoyed working on pit crews and helping other drivers. Above all, God and family were of the foremost importance to him. He was a member of Uhrichsville Christian Temple who lived out his faith, touching the lives of countless people in the course of his own.

His surviving family includes his four children, Lester (Carla) Keaton of Sherrodsville, Estill (Peggy) Keaton of Uhrichsville, Kathy (Vernon) Reynolds of Strasburg and Frederick (Bonnie) Keaton of Greenville, North Carolina; fourteen grandchildren, Edward Thornsley, Tanya Henderson, Jason Henderson, Johnathon Petentler, Dustin Dotts, Rob Bryant, Mickey Loudener, Tanya Lash, Mirannda Dowdy, Crystal Rutter, Tabitha Angelo, Matthew Reynolds, Dustin Reynolds and Brittany Evans; twenty-two great-grandchildren; a sister, Delores Jean (Bowling) Burns of Dover; his former spouse, Betty Ruth Keeton Hall of North Carolina; and numerous nieces, nephews and other extended family members. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by siblings, Mary Jane “Pag” Moore, John Dee Keeton, Betty Aldride, Gertrude Moore and Esther Keeton.

Services for Samuel, officiated by Pastor Larry Hostetler, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 4 in the R.K. Lindsey Funeral Home in Dennison. Family and friends are invited to call at the funeral home from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Monday. Memorial contributions may be made to his family in care of the R.K. Lindsey Funeral Home, Inc., 26 Grant St., Dennison, OH 44621-1269 to help defray the cost of his final expenses.