Percy Raymond Keffer Jr.

COBBS CREEK - Percy R. Keffer Jr. died Sunday, May 22, 2005, at Riverside Regional Convalescent Center in Newport News. Born in Portsmouth June 26, 1919, Percy grew up in the Wythe section of Hampton and lived most of his adult life in Newport News. He built, owned and operated Keffer Marine Service, Inc. on Deep Creek, which he ran for 30 years before selling the business and retiring to Cobbs Creek on the Piankatank River in 1984. After graduating from Hampton High School in 1937, Percy attended Virginia Tech until World War II interrupted his college education. He joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1942 and initially served with the Atlantic Coast Anti-Submarine Patrol for several months before being selected for Officers Candidate School. After graduation he was commissioned as an ensign at the U.S.C.G. Academy in New London, Connecticut. He then completed Advanced Officers Training and Amphibious Training in Landing Craft, and was deployed overseas on the USS Bayfield. In the D-Day invasion of Normandy, Percy was in command of one of the waves of landing craft that transported men and equipment to the beaches; he received his first of four bronze combat stars after the invasion. He was appointed to Lieutenant JG and then participated in the Invasion of Southern France where he again lead a wave of landing craft into the beach, and received a bronze combat star. At the conclusion of the European phase of the war, Percy came home and married Virginia Becan of Newport News, and two weeks later left for the Pacific. He participated in the Invasion of Iwo Jima, receiving a bronze combat star and the Invasion of Okinawa where he received his fourth bronze combat star. He was with his ship, the USS Bayfield in San Francisco, preparing to transport marines for the invasion of Japan when the war ended. With the conclusion of World War II, Percy returned to Virginia Tech with his wife, Virginia, and completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering. He worked for several years as a mechanical engineer at NACA Langley (now NASA) but his love of the water and boats took over. He bought a small marine railway on Deep Creek and with the vision of a full service marina he began to build Keffer Marine Service, Inc. In 1984, he retired to his 'private marina' on the shores of the Piankatank River and Cobbs Creek in Mathews where he continued to sail various boats on the Chesapeake Bay. One of his favorite boating experiences was his trip down the Intercoastal Waterway to Florida, where he spent the winter of 1989 and returned in the following spring. As long as he was physically capable he continued to pursue his lifelong hobby with boats. Percy's beloved wife of 50 years died in 1994; she was the mother of their daughter Carol and son Ray. Percy remarried in 1996 to Susan Speight of Cobbs Creek, with whom he enjoyed nearly 9 wonderful years. Percy had been a member of Denbigh Presbyterian Church for many years where he served as a deacon, on numerous committees, and with Boy Scout Troop 345. Recently he became a member of First Presbyterian Church of Gloucester. His first wife, Virginia; his father, Percy R. Keffer Sr.; his mother, Helen T. Keffer; and his sister, Julia Welch, preceded Percy in death. He is survived by his second wife, Susan of Cobbs Creek; his daughter, Carol and her husband, Bruce Johnson, of Newport News; his son, Ray and his wife, Joelle, of Newport News; and his brother, Pete and his wife, Barbara, of York County. A memorial service will be conducted at 3 p.m. on Wednesday at Peninsula Funeral Home with the Rev. Jerry Helms officiating. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Mathews Rescue Squad, or your favorite charity or organization.