Timothy Joseph Keiley was called up to Heaven on February 14th, 2025. Tim was born in Atlanta, Georgia on May 22nd, 1938 to Alice (Rock) and John Aloysius Keiley. Tim was born into a large Irish Catholic family and grew up with his two brothers (Buddy and Mike) and three sisters (Paddy, Sue, and Alice) in a multi-generational home. A generational native Atlantan, he attended Marist College High School before graduating from Henry Grady High School in 1958. After graduation, Tim served in the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and was stationed at Cape May, New Jersey and Groton, Connecticut. In 1959, Tim was selected by the Coast Guard to stand watch at the funeral of Admiral William (Bull) Halsey in the US Capitol as he lay in state. He was passionate about boats, dreaming one day of owning a mahogany Criss Craft runabout boat. He would often joke that he joined the US Coast Guard instead of the US Navy because the USCG would guarantee he would be above water and not under water.
After his discharge from the USCG, Tim worked at Reynolds Aluminum, and later American Wholesale, where he was a top national salesman selling aluminum siding.
Tim lived in Colonial Homes where he met his beloved wife, fellow Atlantan Robyn Walsh. Robyn and Tim were married in 1968 at Christ the King Cathedral in Atlanta. From 1969 to 1973, Tim and Robyn lived in Savannah, Georgia. He cherished those years down on the Georgia Coast, including his shrimp boat and many St. Patrick’s Day parades. Upon his return to Atlanta, Tim and Robyn moved to the Vinings community, where they raised daughter Meg and son Jimmy. Tim lost Robyn to ALS in 2011, but his love for Robyn during their 43-year marriage was an inspiration to all who knew them.
His lifelong network of childhood friends from Spring Street and 25th Street were a network of honorary “aunts” and “uncles” to his children. Tim was a kind, generous, and lovable soul with a spark of mischief. He made many lifelong friends at Marist, Grady, and Georgia Tech. He was a strong, stubborn, and fun-filled man who never complained a day in his life, even driving himself to a Piedmont Hospital during a massive coronary in 1991.
Tim was a loving, devoted father, and grandfather. Although he was a traveling salesman, he did not miss a single one of his children’s swim meets, school plays, or tennis and soccer matches. He loved to restore cars, including his beloved Mercury Cougar, Ford step side pickup trucks, and Packards. His grandkids called him "Pops" and loved going with him to Peachtree Dekalb Airport to watch planes, going to Northside Pizza Exchange to watch trains, and playing checkers. Tim was a true “dog whisperer” and would adopt many dogs throughout his life.
Tim is pre-deceased by his grandparents, Elizabeth (Murphy) and James Joseph Keiley, and Marie (Johnston) and John Rock; parents Alice and John Keiley; sister Miriam Agnes (Paddy) Crawford; brother in law Charles (Charlie) Crawford; sister Susanne (Sue) McDermott; sister in law Julienne (Patureau) Keiley; brother in law Andrew (Andy) Hepburn Sr; father in law Frank O. Walsh Jr. and mother in law Robyn (Peeples) Walsh; sister in law Margaret (Peggy) Walsh; and beloved wife Robyn (Walsh) Keiley.
He is survived by daughter Margaret (Meg) Walsh Keiley and partner Michael Azarian; grandchildren Ashley Walsh Listermann, William Aidan Listermann, Jameson Elizabeth Listermann, Josephine Keiley Listermann, and Michael C. Azarian; son James (Jimmy) Louis Keiley and wife Rachael; grandchildren Allie Read and Nathanial Read; brother John A. (Buddy) Keiley Jr.; sister Alice (Keiley) Hepburn; brother Michael (Mike) Keiley and partner Leslie Persons; brother in law Tom McDermott Sr.; numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews; and devoted dog Scooter2.
There will be a visitation at Patterson's Arlington Chapel in Sandy Springs on February 23rd, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. A funeral mass will be held at Saint Jude the Apostle Catholic Church in Dunwoody on February 24th at 10:00 am followed by an interment at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs at 1:30 pm.
To honor Tim Keiley, please give a special hug to all the people and dogs in your life and tell them you love them. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the ALS Association (Lou Gehrig's) in honor of Tim’s wife Robyn’s courageous battle with the disease: ALS Research c/o Emory School of Medicine 1440 Clifton Road Suite 430 Atlanta, GA 30322, payable to Emory University. Online condolences may be made at hmpattersonarlington.com.
