Edmund Cooke Keiler

Falmouth- Edmund Cooke (Ted) Keiler passed away on November 21 from complications of a lifelong chronic condition. Ted was born in Boston in 1954, attended Proctor Academy and Chauncy Hall, then received a degree in Architecture and Building Design from the Wentworth Institute. From the earliest age, Ted enjoyed the beauty of wood, and in addition to working most of his adult life brokering, milling, or selling it, he also enjoyed the fine art of wood working. He made beautiful furniture and cabinets, and restored many antique wood pieces in the authentic manner.

Ted also loved the outdoors, and particularly the New England outdoors. He skied throughout his life, served in the Ambassador and Ski Patrol programs at Sugarloaf, and taught his two children to ski…anywhere. He loved the ocean, having sailed and boated with his family throughout his childhood, and later with his own young family. He loved (and respected) the dynamics of the ocean and was happy being either skipper or crew, agreeing with Kenneth Grahame that “ there is nothing, absolutely nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats” . Ted loved reading, and especially United States and European history. He passed on this love to his son Halsey, and enjoyed nothing so much as talking history with his son and late father in law John. He passed on his slightly sardonic sense of humor to his daughter Cammy, which became almost a secret code between them.

Ted married Susan DiMatteo Keiler in 1982 and together they shared a rich and full life. They were able to travel together, and shared a love of the outdoors together, and they raised a loving family in the context of a larger loving family on both Ted’s and Susan’s sides.

Ted is greatly loved and will be deeply missed by his wife and partner of nearly forty two years, Susan. He is also survived and will be missed by his beloved children Cammy Keiler, her husband Evan Bjorklund and their baby Otto, and by Halsey Keiler and his fiancée Audrey Irles. Also surviving Ted are his own loving family: his sister Hallie Lee, her husband David and their children, his sister Kim Fahnley, her husband Joel and their children, and his sister Louise Kingston and her children. Finally, Ted is loved and will be missed by his larger family, especially his sister in law Martha DiMatteo Vorlicek, her husband Tony and their children and grandchild, and by his brother in law Andrew DiMatteo, his wife Debi and their children..

He will be welcomed in heaven by his own parents, George and Marcia Stephenson and Pendleton Keiler, as well as by Susan’s parents John and Patty DiMatteo, who all predeceased him and loved him dearly. We will miss our Ted, Dad, Manny.

There will be mingling and an opportunity to share stories and reminiscences at the Falmouth Country Club from 2:30-4:30 pm on Tuesday November 28 for those who may wish to join the family.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.jonesrichandbarnes.com for the Keiler family.