David Keigley, 81, died peacefully August 25, 2018. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, he was the son of the late Robert E. Keigley of Blue Earth, Minnesota and Artha Francis Horner of Ames, Iowa. David grew up at Father Flanagan’s Boys Home at Boys Town (Omaha), Nebraska.

David proudly credited his success to his education and hard work on the Boys Town 1100 acre farm. The farm grew crops that supported the 1000 residence and the farm’s animals. They mainly raised Angus and Hereford cattle that produced 200 steers annually. The farm also raised hogs, sheep and poultry. In addition to working on the farm, David excelled in the Boys Town 4H Club, showing in Live Stock shows. The pride of Boys Town, Gold Medal bull Polytechnic Imperial Wayne, sired numerous national champions, ribbon and medal winning offspring. Several of David’s cattle won ribbons, to include ribbons at the Southwestern Exposition and Fat Stock Show at Fort Worth, Texas and the National Western Live Stock Show at Denver, Colorado. Boys Town Music Department had several choirs under the famed direction of the REV. Francis P. Schmitt. David earned a spot on the famous Concert Choir as well as on the equally famous Touring Choir. Being on the Touring Choir required the members to attend summer school to make up the school missed while touring. They would perform coast to coast in over 40 cities and 25 states as well as a half dozen Canadian cities. The choir was able to see much of the country traveling in three Greyhound buses and were able to visit many attractions. – Seeing the National parks, the giant Sequoias, whales on a Vancouver boat tour, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Grand Canyon, and the Hoover Dam, in which two of his uncles help build, as well as Las Vegas, St. Louis, Chicago, Niagara Falls, Maine, Boston, etc. For David the highlight of the tours over several seasons, were the choir’s performance at the Carnegie Hall and a performance with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.

After graduating from Boys Town High School, David enlisted in the U.S. Army. Having a passion for animals and farming, David signed up to be an Animal Technician and Food Inspection Specialist. Upon completing his Basic Training at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, his specialty training continued at the Medical Field Service School at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and then at the Army Medical Service School at Chicago, Illinois. David’s first duty station was at Bayonne, New Jersey. He shared an apartment at Broadway in New York City with a couple of fellow Soldiers. He was assigned to be the Station Commander’s driver. David talked (perhaps drove) his way into working at the seaport docks in Bayonne. He said it didn’t take much persuasion, his driving skills fresh off of the farm didn’t prepare him for the big-city traffic. Bayonne was a large shipping distribution center to the Eastern Seaboard as well as Europe and Africa military bases. David’s next duty station was in Bordeaux, France. There at the port, they would receive the shiploads of food and distribute to the Military bases throughout France. David earned another promotion and transferred to an Army base where he met and married Marie Renee Roby. The Keigley clan grew by four sons. The Keigleys were later transferred to Fort McClellan in Birmingham, Alabama. David received orders for Vietnam and moved the family to Omaha, Nebraska. In Vietnam, David was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division. Later transferred to the 25th Infantry Division to cover down on seven bases, conducting a multi-faceted responsibility of food inspection, supporting and servicing K9 Scout dogs, Trackers, Sentry dogs, unit mascots and pets as well as civic affairs proj