Alvin Miller Keel

BOLD PRINT: Al Keel

Alvin Miller Keel went to be with our Lord on April 6, 2010, in Kingsport, TN. He was the husband of Precia Keel.

Al was born on May 7, 1927, in Fort Henry, Tennessee, the son of John Miller Keel and Bennie Beatrice Keel formerly Rowlett. He graduated high school at the age of 15 from Stewart County High School in Dover, TN. He worked in Nashville where he met his future wife, Precia Brown. Al joined the Navy as an Air Corps Cadet in 1945 at the age of 17. He attended the University of the South in Sewanee, TN, for two years and was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1947. A degree in mechanical engineering followed from the University of Louisville where he was a member of the Triangle fraternity.

Al and Precia married on September 15, 1950. That same year, Tennessee Eastman Company hired Al as a mechanical engineer for machine design. While at Eastman, Al was a resident engineer of the Ectona Fibers, Ltd. Project in Workington, England, Assistant Manager of Carolina Eastman in Columbia, SC, Superintendent of Engineering at Tennessee Eastman, and retired in 1987 as Assistant Works Manager. He later went back to Eastman for the expansion of Ectona Fibers.

With a deep desire to have a positive impact on his community, Al was a member of several community and professional organizations including Kiwanis and Civitan. He was awarded "Director of the Year" for the Kingsport Center of Opportunity in 1984. His many post-retirement projects included Holston Valley Community Hospital expansion as well as the construction of the new fellowship hall at First Presbyterian Church, Kingsport. Al was a faithful member of the First Presbyterian Church for 31 years. He and his family had previously attended Forest Lake Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC, and Bethel Presbyterian in Kingsport. Al's loving influence on his family and friends will be missed more than words can express.

In addition to his parents, Al was preceded in death by a sister, Ruby Doty; brother, Theron Keel; and niece, Rosalie Lisano.

He is survived by his wife, Precia; his children, Joe Keel of Calgary, Alberta, and Cindy Najar and husband Ken of Franklin; three grandchildren, Kristin, Joseph, and Jonathan Najar, also of Franklin; sister-in-law, Esther Reese Keel, and niece, Andrea Schultz, both of Plano, TX; and many other loving relatives.

A "Celebration of Life" service, officiated by The Rev. Dr. David A. Cagle, will be held on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. The family will receive visitors at the church following the celebration.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Al Keel Memorial; First Presbyterian Church; 100 West Church Circle; Kingsport, TN 37660.