Jim McKeever

Jim McKeever, 81, of Abilene, died Monday, August 24, 2009 at a local hospital. Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church. Rev. Stan Allcorn will officiate. Burial will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Friday at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Jim was born May 19, 1928 in Plainview, Arkansas to Hulon and Stella (Chester) McKeever. Moving with his family to Merkel in 1943, Jim graduated from Merkel High School in 1946. He served in the U. S. Navy from 1946 to 1949, marrying Wanda Lou Hill in Abilene on October 19, 1947. Jim began cutting hair at the age of 13, having learned the trade from his father; so naturally he attended Lubbock Barber College and was licensed in 1950. He and Wanda then moved to Abilene where Jim worked at the Wooten Hotel Barber Shop. But, the U.S. Navy wasn't through with him yet and called Jim back into service during the Korean Conflict from 1951 to 1952. When Jim and Wanda returned to Abilene in 1952, he worked at the Commercial Barber Shop until he opened the Southwest Park Barber Shop on April 1, 1953. Jim owned and operated that shop for 45 years before retiring on March 31, 1998. Jim was ordained a deacon at South Side Baptist Church at the age of 23, serving the Lord and the Lord's people until he died. He and Wanda became members of Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in 1993 and were also members of the Adult III Sunday School Department and "Prime Timers" at Pioneer Drive. Jim helped organize and was a charter member of the Abilene Breakfast Optimist Club. Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Wanda Hill McKeever on November 1, 2005. He is survived by two sons, Russell McKeever and his wife Susan, of Abilene, Greg McKeever and his wife Darlene, of Houston; one daughter, Donna McKeever, of Austin; three brothers, Buddy D. McKeever, of Burkburnett, Carl W. McKeever and his wife Lane, of Murrieta, California, Ronnie W. McKeever and his wife Diane, of Katy; two sisters, Marlene Farr, of Abilene and Mary Louise Messenger and her husband Leroy, of Burkburnett; three grandchildren, Kent McKeever and his wife Emily, Zachary Taylor, Claire McKeever; and two great-grandchildren, Clara Jane McKeever and Zoe Elizabeth McKeever. Memorials may be made in honor of Jim McKeever to Windcrest Alzheimer's Care Center, 6050 Hospital Drive, Abilene, Texas 79606; Hospice of The Big Country, 4601 Hartford, Abilene, Texas, 79605; or to the Ben Richey Boys Ranch, 501 Ben Richey Drive, Abilene, Texas 79602.