Robert Chester Keffer

Robert Chester Keffer passed away on November 9, 2020 in Austin, Texas at the age of 84. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on December 14, 1935 and spent most of his life in Europe with his loving family and in dedicated service to the nation. While growing up he enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting, trapping and fishing. Immediately after graduating from Baldwin High School in 1954, he joined the US Army completing Basic Infantry training at Fort Knox, Kentucky and the Army Ordnance School in 1955. He was then assigned to the US Army Signal depot in Saumur, France. While there, he met the love of his life, Nicole Henriette Raimbault and they married there. They had their first son, Robert, at the Army hospital in Chinon, France in 1957 and then returned to Pittsburgh where he was honorably discharged from the US Army in 1958 and had their second son, Jim in 1959. In 1960, they packed both sons and bags and returned to France where he worked at Chateauroux Air Force Base as a government civilian. That same year, their daughter Carol was born at the base. In 1967 Robert moved his family to Wiesbaden, Germany where he spent the next 47 years as a US Air Forc...[more]

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ivilian working in the European Film Library, as a photographer and as a communications planner while he and Nicole happily raised their three children. In those capacities, he photographically documented the return of US hostages from Iran in 1981, the remains of 241 US Marines who lost their lives at the Beirut bombing in 1983, the return of hostages from Beirut in 1985, and the anniversary of World War II D-Day landings in Normandy France. He was also on the final team that closed down Rhein-Main Air Base, the "Gateway to Europe" in 2005. Having a very successful career, he was the recipient of several "US Air Force Civilian of the Year" and US Air Force Commendation medals. Additionally, his work with the German Air Force earned him the German Armed Forces Cross of Honor medal in Silver. Robert and Nicole loved raising their three children, providing them with a nourishing household where they each became successful in their own ways. In addition, to his children, Robert continued his passion for the outdoors and became an avid hunter in France and Germany. He bagged 120 big game trophies, including many German Elk ("Hirsch"), Chamois, Mouflon (ram), wild boar and roe deer. The hallways in his home were covered with antlers, many of which taken in the Bavarian Alps. He was also an avid runner and broke the 5-min mile barrier. Robert was predeceased by his father Glessner, mother Ruth and brother Michael. He leaves behind his wife Nicole of 63 years; his children Robert Keffer and wife Donna; Jim Keffer and his wife Donna; and Carol Lozon and her husband Ross; a grandson, Chris Keffer and his wife Laura; and three great-grandchildren, Hunter, Katie and William. Robert will be sorely missed by all that knew and loved him. Robert was always committed to the US military and especially dedicated to serving his troops. As such, please send any memorial contributions to "The Air Force Aid Society" (https://afas.org/).