William "Bill" Ross Keester

The measure of a man is not what he begins with but what he can look back on in his life and take pride in. Bill had every reason to be proud of the deeds of his life. Born to Theodore Beucler Keester and his wife Mildred Dollie Pearson Keester, Bill was the second of six children: Robert Newton; Pearson Lee; Mildred “Viola” Keester Flanagan; Theodore Crawford “T.C.” and Theola “June” Keester Suarez. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents Dr. Isaac Newton Keester and his wife Dollie May McNeil Pearson, his brothers Robert Newton Keester, Theodore Crawford “T.C.” Keester, Pearson Lee Keester, and Mildred “Viola” Keester Flanagan.

Bill attended Okla. City Public Schools: Whittier Grade School; Roosevelt Junior High and graduated in 1952 from Central High School. On June 27, 1956, Bill and Martha “Maylene” Childers eloped to be married in Shawnee, OK. Maylene’s parents were Sidney “Paul” and Dorothy Beatrice Breedlove Childers. Bill later continued his education receiving two associate degrees from Southwestern College, a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma City University, was a graduate of the Oklahoma City Police Department Academy, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics Investigators Training School in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration School. In the following years, Bill and Maylene had three sons: William “Dale”, Clifford James “Jim” and Jeffrey Ross “Jeff” Keester. The test of his beliefs started when he began a career of 30 plus years in criminal investigation. During his career, he neither asked nor gave quarter in the pursuit of criminal investigations, which made him a controversial figure in some government circles. Bill’s career began in 1954 as a Civilian Fingerprint Technician/Investigator for the War Department at Tinker Air Force Base. In 1956, he joined the Oklahoma City Police Department where he served as a Patrolman, a Detective and held the distinction of being the first Law Enforcement Officer in the State of Oklahoma to work in an undercover capacity buying narcotics. In 1967, he joined the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (O. S. B. I.) where he served as an Agent and as an Agent Supervisor of Narcotic Enforcement. While serving as an Agent, Bill was assigned as the Bureau’s Legislative Representative to assist in the writing of the Oklahoma State Uniform Control Dangerous Control Act. In 1972, he joined the Oklahoma State Attorney General’s Office in the Office of the Commissioners of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs as Project Director of Education of Law Enforcement Training and Compliance Enforcement. In 1975, Bill drafted the legislation that merged the Commissioners Office and the Narcotics Agents of O. S. B. I. into one agency to form the Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control (O. B. N.). Bill became its first Chief Agent and served as both an Elected Representative and an Alternate Representative to the Oklahoma State Law Enforcement Retirement Board. Bill ended his career in 1987 as a Chief Agent of Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Throughout his life he was an independent thinker, one who marched to the beat of his own drum and seldom joined a parade that he was not leading. He was satisfied with his life and at peace with death. He was a political conservative that had contempt for “cradle to the grave government”, for the “professional politicians” and for the self-serving/corrupt who feed off the uniformed, the poor and the young. He tried to deal fairly with everyone and had a courteous respect for the School Alumni Association for his “High Principles and Traditions in His Profession”. In 2015, he was inducted into the State of Oklahoma’s Law Enforcement Hall of Fame.

He will be missed by his sisters Viola and husband Ken, June and husband Johnny, sons Dale and wife Laura; Jim and wife Jessie; Jeff and wife Beverly. Also by his grandchildren: David Ryan Keester and wife Rebekah; Kelli Diane Keester; Lena Marie Levine and husband Ben; Amy Leigh Burke and husband Dustin; Jared Dale Keester and wife Lauren; Dylan Lee Keester and wife Alexis, Luke Paul Keester; and Addilyn Marie Gaulden-Keester. Additionally, he will be missed by his great grandsons Ryan Dale Keester, Jude Leon Keester, Harvey Marshall Keester, Nicholas K. Burke, Sylas Cole Keester, great granddaughters Lillian Jeanette Keester, London Avery Levine, Lydia Monroe Levine, his ever-loving faithful wife, of 68 years, Maylene and a few friends. Bill loved his God, his family, the outdoors, hunting and traveling. Bill and Maylene traveled all of North America, the Caribbean, some of South America and Europe. Bill hunted both upland game and big game throughout North America.

Bill ended his years enjoying all his loves.

Services will be held June 6, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. in the Chapel at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper. Interment will immediately follow the service at Rose Hill Burial Park.