Allied News (Grove City, PA) - Saturday, October 29, 2011

Dr. Raymond Irwin Keffer Educator was active in community, church

GROVE CITY — Dr. Raymond Irwin Keffer of 444 Laury Laxie, New Wilmington, was called home by his Lord Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. He was 75. 

Dr. Keffer was born Sept. 2, 1936, in Clairton, Pa., to Benjamin Franklin Keffer and Jean Bracken Keffer. 

Raymond is survived by his wife, Gail Kennedy Keffer. They were married Aug. 19, 1961, and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. 

Raymond graduated from Midland High School in 1954. Following a year of working at Crucible Steel Corp., he enrolled at Slippery Rock University and graduated in 1959 with a bachelor of science degree in education. He also received his master's in education from Slippery Rock University after graduate work at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, and the University of Minnesota. In March of 1973, Raymond received his doctorate of education from Penn State University. 

He was a member of the U.S. Army Reserves for six years from 1960-66. 

A career educator, Raymond truly believed the motto that hung on his office wall, 'To teach is to touch a life forever. Raymond began his career in Bucks County before moving to New Castle to teach economics and U.S. history at New Castle Senior High School, where he served as department chairman for many years. He sponsored the Ne-Ca-Hi Key Club in conjunction with the New Castle Kiwanis. 

He was also responsible for students being enrolled in the Presidential Classroom Scholarship Program and started a service organization for students to get involved in local organizations and receive a grade for their volunteer work outside classroom time. 

After retiring in December he taught for more than 10 years at Penn State University and Slippery Rock University. He also taught for the Evelyn Woods Reading Dynamic Program before beginning his own reading program called Rapid Reading Associates of New Wilmington. 

For five years, he was education director for New Castle News until he left to become the first coordinator and director of the Lawrence County Learning Center which had been a dream of his for years as he sought to help students achieve beyond the high school level and help improve the community. 

He was a member of the national education fraternity, Phi Delta Kappa, Westminster Chapter, where he was selected as Educator of the Year and helped in many offices including chapter president. 

Raymond loved his adopted hometown of New Wilmington. He served as the 1976 chairman of the Declaration of Independence Committee and later was chairman of the 1987 Constitution Bi-Centennial Committee. He was a Rotarian for many years and was a Paul Harris Fellow.