Randy Hal Keele

Randy Hal Keele, one of God’s greatest, passed away on October 11 from complications related to dementia. He was at home, surrounded by adoring family.

Randy was born on March 10, 1971, in the greater Salt Lake City area. He was born with Down’s Syndrome, but that would have been news to him: he somehow leveraged his extra 23rd chromosome to live an extra full life.

At age 5 he began his education at Jordan Valley, a school for people like him, from where he graduated (simultaneously from the local LDS Seminary) at 21.

Randy’s gifts were many, but from an early age it was clear he was an athlete. He participated in the Special Olympics for over 20 years. Beginning at age 8, with sports like gymnastics and swimming, he qualified for both regional and state games. From there he moved on to dominate basketball, speed skating, track and field, and bowling, winning countless medals (this is no hyperbole…we literally lost count there were so many…in his first year alone he won 23 gold medals across all levels of competition). He especially loved the state games, a rare opportunity to escape his parents, stay in a hotel, and enjoy the parties thrown for the athletes. He continued his domination after he moved with his family to St. George, in Southern Utah, in 1990.

He earned his Eagle Scout in 2013, after completing his project repainting Arrowhead Elementary’s playground geographic maps.

The LDS church was also very dear to him. In 2001 he became a Member Missionary–after relentlessly pestering his Bishop about wanting to serve a mission–a post from which he never retired. He sang in the ward choir and was a standout in the local Special Needs Mutual, participating in talent shows (he loved to sing but, honestly, could only charitably be described as tone deaf), cutting the rug at proms, and starring in plays.

Randy worked many jobs throughout the years, most successfully at a recycling center, where there were fewer distractions: he was asked to move on from a stint at a pawn shop where the TVs proved too engrossing, and from an Arby’s where he found the female clientele more enchanting than bussing tables. After retiring, he spent many of his days at the RISE day program.

It’s unfortunate for the Green Valley community in St. George that he, a masterful distributor of candy, passed before Halloween. He loved to dress up as Michael Jackson, Frankenstein, Peter Pan, Spiderman, and Indiana Jones.

• Bullet-point lists in an obituary are perhaps gauche, but there is no other way to capture the fullness of Randy’s life in digestible form. Some of the things he loved best:

• Oregon Ducks football and the Utah Jazz
• Rodeo (especially bull riding)
• Pretty girls (especially blondes)
• Music (Beach Boys, Neil Diamond, Billy Joel, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Michael Jackson)
• Spending time with family, including dropping the mic at karaoke
• Watching movies ( 3 Stooges, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Ghost Busters)
• Books (the dude could read and write!)
• Camping at Fishlake (fishing and, questionably, driving the boat)
• Naps
• Food (Mexican generally, enchiladas, chili and tamales, green bean bake, Subway meatball subs, banana cream pie, spaghetti, Doritos, tater tot casserole–to our knowledge, he has only once declared to be full)
• Drinking tea and, when he could keep it from his parents, Pepsi–though he would tell on himself 
• Nascar (Joey Logano)
• The Incredible Hulk
• Riding his 3-wheel bike to which he affixed a pink pirate flag (real men love pink)
• Writing an ambitious Christmas list every year. In January.
• Signing his name in guest books (most recent nom de plum, when his marbles had started to scatter, was “Lake Mead” for some reason)
• Games (Yahtzee)
• Writing and receiving correspondence
• Wrestling with his brothers (shockingly strong for a guy who never worked out a day in his life)
• His special friend Jessica
• Making up the world’s most creative nicknames for people he loved (you’ll see what we mean below)

• Randy is survived by:

• Mother, Ila Keele (“Naa”)
• Father, Chris Keele (“Mr. Graddy”)
• Brother, Rondo Keele (“My Brudder”) and spouse Sadeem
• Sister, Joanna Shaffer (“Twart”) and spouse Rocky (“Ricky”)
• Brother, Ryan Keele (“Teej-a-Shit”) (yes, we’re serious) and spouse Cheryl (“Cheryl-grin”)
• Brother, Robert Keele (“Munn”) and spouse Kaitlyn (“Kay-Lynn”)
• Cousin (more like sister) Wendy Davis (“Wen-Perfect-Wen”) (he was a good judge of character)
• Nephews Brenen (“Mr. Buddy”) and Garrett Tischner, and Jackson, Grady, Tim, Chris, and Jacob Keele
• Nieces Taylor, Charlotte, and Frankie Keele
• Great nephews/nieces Hayden, Dawson, Salem, Vida, and Michael

• He was predeceased by Grandma Lasca (“Mom”), Grandpa Frank (“Dad”), Grandma Francis (also “Mom”), Grandpa Robert, Uncle Robby, his beloved Aunt Paula (“Lala”), cousins Ben, Heather, and Rebecca, and faithful dog Pepper (“Hound Dog”).
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• Not to be outdone, his family have called him things as diverse as Goose, Praddy, Fidge(y), Lulu, Rascal, and Homer.
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The family will hold a private graveside service near his beloved Fishlake at Bicknell Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Special Olympics: https://support.specialolympics.org/a/give-in-your-state