Memories of John Keck
By Clyde Arnold
There are two years difference in John and Jack Keck's ages so it was at Oglesby
where John and I first met. Dee Coffee, John and I played together on the train tracks
behind our houses many times when I lived at 414 W. Ave. G. in Hope. John Keck
had a big dog that he would bring with him.
The Coffee home was the last house on the right before you got to the George Peck
barn and farm. There were a lot of kids in that neighborhood back then including Ann
Bar, MarSue McFadden, Frank Hill, Charles Ellis, Lyle Moore. and some others I
may have forgotten. MarSue moved to Little Rock during the 4th grade which was
about that same period of time. John, Ellis Rothwell, Kenneth Stone, Dee Coffee and
many others had some great times at Oglesby where they separated the girls from the
boys on the playground.
I remember John Keck’s playing on both the junior high football and basketball team.
These are featured on the Sports section of our web page. I also remember that John
was an outdoorsman while in high school One day while we were having lunch, I saw
John eating something which looked like fried chicken; he offered me a piece. He
then said it was rattlesnake steak so I said, "No thank you, Grover!"
John Keck was not a big guy but he had a big heart and always gave a 100% effort in
playing any sports. He was a two-year letterman on the Bobcat Varsity football team
and the starting center for us his senior year. I don't remember the ladies John K.
dated but he did run around with Edward Key and Ronald Richards who always had
lady friends. I am sure he dated many --as did all of us in those days. Many of the
girls were from the Prescott area but some of us dated Hope girls too.
In Jack Keck's Memory of his and John’s childhood, I remember they lived next door
to Carolyn Long (whom I was dating when I went into the Army in 1955.) Clifton
Carol Booth aka CC also lived in that same neighborhood not far from the Judge
Luck home and very near our 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Hatch, who ran a motel not far
now from Meyers Bakery.
Almost as soon as John Keck, Richard Chism, Jesse Duke, and Ellis Rothwell
finished Hope High they all decided to join The U.S. Marines and all got to go to
Korea at the end of that Police Action in 1953. Later on Phillip Gilbert and Donald
Lauterback joined them in the Marines.
John Keck and Jesse Duke liked the California area a lot and spent most of their
working lives in the Los Angeles,. CA area. John met Lynda Carolyn Keck while in
the Marines and Jesse was his best man. (met his wives there ,too) They had over
fifty years together (See Anniversary Page about them and reared two sons and
grandchildren. See photos of family under John‘s obituary)
I attended several reunions with John beginning in 1983 but do not ever remember
meeting his lovely bride. He was in attendance at our 50th reunion and again in 2007.
There are pictures of John with his marine buddies, Ellis, Jesse, Chism and Grover on
the web site.
Richard Chism and Grover are now with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and are
greatly missed by their teammates and HHS friends and his loving family.
Jack Keck sent me a nice family photo which is posted on the web site as well.
Clyde Arnold
4-30-09