Anthony Joseph Keever
November 13, 1927 - September 6, 2010

Tony Keever
November 13, 1927 – September 6, 2001
Tony was born in North Bergen, New Jersey on the day the Lincoln Tunnel was opened. One of his fondest childhood memories was playing high school football for Memorial High School in West New York, New Jersey. Tony enlisted in the US Army in 1945 after graduation, and served overseas following the end of World War II in the occupation of Japan. Tony was a radio repairman for the Army, but his assistant, a graduate of MIT, did most of the repairing. Tony enjoyed travelling the country of Japan and getting to know the Japanese people and their customs. He never could understand why he and the other men gathered around the fire in their homes, and the women had to stand away, but that was the custom there at that time. Early on, Tony had a strong compassion for others.
Following the completion of his military service, Tony attended the University of Toledo, in Toledo, Ohio on a football scholarship. That is where Tony met and fell in love with Patsy Harrison, a fellow student attending the University of Toledo on an academic scholarship. Tony graduated first and went back to New Jersey. Six months later he returned to Toledo and went to work for the Buckeye Brewing Company. Tony and Patsy married on August 22, 1953, and enjoyed a long and happy marriage of 57 years that ended only with his recent passing.
Their only child, Shelley Lee Keever, was born on September 17, 1954. On January 17, 1955, the young family moved back to New Jersey where Patsy resumed her teaching career and Tony began working in the wine industry. He began as office staff, and worked his way up to State Manager. After the company was sold, Tony continued his career at the Heublein Company as a wine salesman until his retirement at age 59. Tony travelled the country with his work, and Patsy would sometimes accompany him to San Francisco and other destinations.
Tony enjoyed travel, and he and his family travelled extensively throughout Europe, visiting Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, Germany, England and Ireland. They visited Bermuda, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and in later years cruised throughout the Caribbean Twice they drove cross country to visit friends in Coronado, California and enjoyed sightseeing along the way.
Tony was also an avid sports fan and enjoyed his two favorite teams, the New York Giants and the New York Yankees.
After his retirement in 1986, Tony and Patsy moved permanently to Florida, first in the city of Sunrise and then the city of Plantation. Once a year they would go back to New Jersey, and visit with his best friend, Joe Billani and his wife Nanni. Every year they enjoyed reminiscing, sharing good food with much laughter and love.
Tony was absolutely crazy about children and they loved him too. Whenever children came to the house to visit they would go right up to Tony and crawl into his lap.
Once he retired, Tony wanted to learn to play golf and ride horses. He and Patsy took lessons for both, and Tony and Patsy both learned to play golf and go horseback riding. He enjoyed many years of his “new” hobbies.
Tony adored his daughter Shelley, and she has many fond memories of him holding her hand as they entered the ocean to swim. Tony also loved his grandchildren dearly; Lee and James Anthony, and they loved their “pop pop” too. They spent every weekend together, and he always took them on vacations.
In addition to his wife, daughter and two grandchildren, Tony is survived by his older brother, Jack Keever, and his two nephews, Bobby and John, both of whom have families in New Jersey.

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