John Eugene Keeling
Funeral services for John Eugene Keeling, of Hugo, Okla., were held April 25, 2026 at Miller & Miller Funeral Home. John passed away April 19, 2026, at the age of 72.
John Eugene Keeling was born on June 14, 1953 in Nevada, Mo., to Eugene John Keeling and Ina Velma (Mitchell) Keeling. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters: Carolyn Stastny and Barbara Stastny and infant son, Wayne Allen Keeling.
John grew up in the Hugo area and graduated from Grant High School in 1971. He lived in Lindsey, Okla., for many years before moving back to his hometown in 2021. John spent his working years in the oil field, where he served as a rig operator and later as a production foreman. He understood the value of honest labor and took pride in the skills he developed over the years. Outside of work, John loved camping and the time it gave him to enjoy the outdoors. He enjoyed playing dominos and valued time spent gathered around the table with friends and family. John also loved watching sports, especially baseball, cheering on the Yankees, and football, where he supported the Cowboys and OU.
John married the love of his life, Joyce Barker, on July 1, 1991 at Hugo Lake. Together they created a home filled with love, laughter, and many treasured memories. John took great pride in his family and found his greatest happiness in being surrounded by those he loved. He was a devoted father and proud grandfather who cherished every opportunity to spend time with them. Family was at the center of his world, and he especially enjoyed going to his sister’s home on Sundays to play dominos and he hardly ever missed a family reunion. He also enjoyed fishing with his brother, Eugene and brother-inlaw, Dicky. John lived a life marked by hard work, devotion to family and a deep appreciation for the simple joys that made life meaningful.
John is survived by his wife, Joyce Keeling; children: Mary Christine Lentz and husband, John E. Keeling, Jr. and wife; stepchildren: Paula Braden and husband and Stacy Smith; two grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; brothers: Ronald Keeling, Gary Keeling, Gerald Keeling and Eugene Keeling; sister, Jessie Simpson; along with numerous nieces, nephews and other family.
Interment followed the service at Rattan Cemetery with Steve Harbison officiating, under the direction of Miller & Miller Funeral Home.
