On July 25, 2018, at the age of 97, Alvin Eli Keck passed away peacefully after being lovingly watched over by his family during an extended illness. He knew he was loved to the end. Alvin was born in Seymour, Texas on July 10, 1921 to Eli and Nancy Keck. His father was a farmer and Alvin grew up helping with the farm work which was tough duty in hot, dry Texas, especially during the depression. He attended a one room school house where he excelled in his studies, especially in math, and was often asked to tutor his fellow students. He even won the county math competition. Unfortunately, due to being needed to work the farm, he had to quit school in eighth grade. This was a defining moment in his life and one of his greatest goals as a father was to see that all of his children got a college education. His dedication to his Christian faith and the value he put on education came together in his active support of the Spokane Lutheran School which all of his children attended.
Another defining moment in his life was WWII. He enlisted in the Army after Pearl Harbor and was later assigned to Fort Wright in Spokane where he met the love of his life, Arline. They were married on June 10, 1944. He served as an MP at Geiger Field before he was assigned to the Army Aircorp Engineering Aviation Battalion, and was sent to Okinawa. After a nearly fatal crossing of the Pacific on a troop ship, he landed in Okinawa on April Fools Day, 1945, where he helped build air strips that were intended to be used for the invasion of Japan. He spent his final months of the war building airstrips in Korea. Only later in life did he talk about how dangerous the work was because of constant bombing, strafing, and sniper fire but serving the country he loved was one of his proudest accomplishments.
After the war, he and Arline settled in Spokane where Alvin got a job as a commercial dairy worker at Arden Farms Dairy. As the city dairies consolidated he eventually worked for them all until he retired from the Carnation Dairy. He and Arline were both adventurous and made the most of retirement, traveling extensively throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. They also loved to camp and had many adventures exploring the back roads of the Northwest forests and the Oregon coast. They especially loved sharing those trips with their four grandchildren. In his later years, he loved visiting family in Las Vegas, an occasional visit to the casino, and snagging a good deal indulging in his favorite pastime-going to garage and estate sales.
Alvin was dedicated to providing the best life possible for his family. He was a hard worker, he had a wonderful sense of humor, he was an avid story teller, he loved to gab and never met a stranger. He was gentle, kind, and humble, and always had a positive outlook on life. He was a good man and a good father and he will be missed.
Alvin was preceded in death by his wife. Arline, his brothers Earl, Mack and Ira Keck,(Texas) and his sister Ann West (Corpus Christi, Texas). He is survived by his children, Gary Keck, Las Vegas, Patsy Marshall (Duane) Spokane, Stephen Keck (Becky), Spokane Valley, Janice Weyte, Seattle; his grandchildren, Aaron Keck, Jennifer Knutson, Sarah Keck, Lindsay Longman, Lissa Donahue, Jill Flegel; and many great-grandchildren.
A service celebrating Alvin’s life will be held at Hazen & Jaeger Funeral Home, 1306 North Monroe St, Thursday, August 2, 2018, at 10:00 am. Donations may be made to the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, or Wounded Warriors Project.
