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Culver Academy Vincennes University

Keith DeHaan Obituary

HAMILTON - Keith Allen DeHaan, age 63, passed away due to a cardiac arrhythmia on June 8, 2025, at Cameron Memorial Community Hospital in Angola, Indiana.

Born on Dec. 7, 1961, in Grafenwohr, Germany, Keith moved to Indiana as a child and spent much of his life there.

After attending Culver Military Academy, Keith enlisted in the U.S. Army, proudly serving in Texas, Germany, and Panama. He later studied at Vincennes University and Marion College.

With his love of the outdoors and his entrepreneurial drive, Keith founded Ultimate Outdoor Adventures in 1997, and began leading guided hunting trips on his property in Hamilton, Indiana, in 2001. Later, he channeled his talents by training as a taxidermist, founding KD Taxidermy, a business built on his artistic skills and respect for wildlife.

For 30 years, he was a member of the board of the Christel DeHaan Family Foundation.

Keith's interests included hunting, fishing, photography, and travel. He especially cherished his trips abroad to South Africa and Namibia. He was an active supporter of Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, the Wild Turkey Federation, and Delta Waterfowl. For over two decades, Keith sponsored Steuben County's annual Duck Day, an outdoor education event that taught thousands of students about local waterfowl and conservation.

He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Jake and Lauren DeHaan, of Barnardsville, North Carolina; his grandson, Felix DeHaan, of Barnadsville, North Carolina; his daughter, Michelle Myers, of Chicago, Illinois; his father, Jon DeHaan, of Naples, Florida; his brother, Timothy DeHaan, of Zionsville, Indiana; his sister, Kirsten DeHaan, of New York; many nieces, nephews, and cousins; as well as his girlfriend, Kimberly Tomei, along with her children and grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Christel DeHaan, philanthropist and co-founder of RCI.

Keith had an adventurous and generous spirit that will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.

A celebration of his life will be held next spring, with details to follow.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by KPCNews on Sep. 9, 2025.

Memories and Condolences
for Keith DeHaan

13 Entries

William De Haan

October 31, 2025

Bill DeHaan

October 30, 2025

I remember the first time I met Keith and his brother Tim, our new cousins from Indiana. Keith was about 13 years old and Tim a couple years younger. We Michigan De Haan´s were raised with the outdoors coursing through our veins. It wasn´t quite that way with our new cousins. But what they lacked in experience, they made it for with confidence and enthusiasm. They would come north for a week of summer vacation. Then as each one came of legal hunting age, they would come up to Michigan with Uncle Jon, or Pops as they called him, to hunt Whitetail deer with us. Many decades later after he creating an outfitting/guiding business, I was deeply honored to hear Keith attribute those
early family experiences with shaping his outdoor passions that lasted for the rest of his life.

At the end of the 2015 hunting season, we spoke by phone to share something of an after action report between us. He was appalled to hear how poor deer management was in the state of Michigan. Land during his youth that would yield a dozen deer sightings per sit, were suddenly yielding three or four deer sightings in a week. He wasn´t willing to accept that. And that was the dawn of the De Haan Family Hunt in Steuben County Indiana. "Deer Camp" enabled multiple generations of family, male and female, from across the country, to gather and share the annual tradition.

We never closed an opening day without a phone call report to our beloved patriarchs, my Uncle Jon and Keith´s Uncle Bill.

For the past couple years, we talked with great expectation of what it would be like to age out of hunting and pass the torch on to those who came behind us. Both of us, hoping that we could influence those generations positively as our parents did ours. Keith was an overachiever in that category without a doubt. I asked him in the past year how many first time deer harvests he played a role in. He could only hazard a guess that the number closer to 100 than it was to 50. And he took great pride in that.

Like me, Keith was a light sleeper. No one got up in the morning before we did. As such We spent countless hours together, drinking coffee in the early morning darkness sitting across the corner of this kitchen table. Man, oh man, did we share a lot of stories and solve a lot of problems for our self, family, nation and world. That´s just the way it was.

Keith´s character was very strong. And it should be no surprise for me to say that he did not suffer idiots or fools, ingratitude, or bullies very long.. Right and wrong where it´s clear as black and white.

It hurts to think about all of the things that I am going to miss. But we should take comfort in the memories that do get triggered as a result of his passing. My list is long but includes the following.
Drinking coffee in the darkness before the morning Hunt.
Talking politics
Stories of the Safaris we took
Sharing the joys and frustrations of younger generations in the field.
The Buzz of activity on opening morning
Sharing the stories of our youth with the younger generations.
My fond memory list is indeed very long.
Hold those memories close....
And Keith will be there.

Danielle Tomei

October 8, 2025

Brent McHenry

September 24, 2025

Keith was a very special person that I can´t put into the proper words. He has made a lasting impression on me that I hope to carry onto others. I worked with Keith for years but he was more than a boss. He was a mentor and more than that a true friend. After working for him, it might be a year or so before we would see each other again but when we would get together we would pick up right where we left off. As if we just saw each other yesterday. A true friend and even better person. I will always cherish our time together and knowledge I have gained by being around him. I feel blessed to have had him in my life.

Drew Freed

September 24, 2025

I´d like to start by expressing my condolences to the family and friends of Keith DeHaan from my family and I. There are not enough words or time in the day to tell you about all the great times we had together but here are a few. I met Keith about 22 years ago at the Fort Wayne boat sport and travel show. The shows were always a great time selling Dehaan shot guns or hunts. From painting eggs almost 100 dozen one year,or painting lures for BFL and tackle he was a great artist and taxidermist as well. Ultimate outdoor adventures was a great place to hunt anything Steuben County had to offer. I could go on forever with all the stories and the different people we met. Keith was always concerned with helping everyone. It´s amazing all the people he touched or taught something to. He has left quite a void for so many. Here´s a quote I found that I would like share from Abraham Lincoln another great man, In the end it´s not the years in your life that count but the life in your years. As we all know Keith´s years were to short but he always lived it up every time he could and helped everyone that he could. . John 14:1-3
Don´t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father´s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am
R I P buddy you will be deeply missed

Kaiden DeHaan

September 18, 2025

Keith helped me open my eyes to the world of hunting and fishing. He taught me so much and was a great uncle. I won´t forget the impact that he made on with helping me establish some of my favorite hobbies. Rest easy Uncle. Will be thinking of you the next time I fish :)

Timothy DeHaan, Sr.

September 16, 2025

Words can't express the emptiness in my hearth. While we had a complicated relationship the older we got, the adventures we took together are countless and will never be forgotten. You taught me how to be a outdoors's man and conservationist. The things I know about hunting and fishing today are all because of you. I can't wait to tell your grandkids about our escapades. You were taken too early from us. I love you and miss you!

Your little brother, Tim

Beth Clendening

September 16, 2025

Thank you Keith for always being sweet to my daughter to include 3 foot tall chocolate bunnies every Easter. Thank you for being a friend to the Ben´s and all the hunting that you did together. And thank you for bringing Cheri into our lives. RIP Keith

Gail Levinson

September 15, 2025

I have known Keith for over 35 years. From the first time I met him; he was never at a loss for words. He never met a stranger. He was so much fun, and always open to a new adventure. He was generous, funny, and a great story teller. He taught me how to shoot a gun, got me to eat, and love Smoked Salmon, the one and only time in my life. He had so many hidden talents. He was an extremely talented artist. He would hand paint eggs at Easter, & gift them to his friends. They are true works of art that I will always treasure. He was one of a kind; & will be greatly missed by his family, and friends. But last but not least; he introduced me to someone who to this day is my best friend, Cheri. And for that I will always be grateful.

Katie Clendening

September 15, 2025

Even though i am very sad to see a man that was only ever a positive and good force in my life go i am hopeful that my father, brother, and he are finally reunited and at peace together. i can still remember playing with animal figurines in his and Cheri´s basement, feeling included and loved by my parents bestfriends as they joked and talked. the endless holidays and events and dinners together has cemented Keith in my life and memories forever and i am very sorry for the loss i know many have felt. sending prayers and love to the family <3

Cheri DeHaan

September 15, 2025

I will miss him, he was my husband for 32 years. Keith was a great man. He was always planning his next hunting trip. He did so many different things and I always supported him. Gone way too soon that´s for sure! I´m so sorry he didn´t get to meet his first grandson, Felix who was born August 10,2025

Joe Farr

September 15, 2025

The years I spent hunting with you and the two Ben´s was very special to me. Hunting will never be the same. I can´t believe you are all gone way too soon. RIP my friend.

Derek Craig

September 7, 2025

I will always miss you, my friend. Africa was great this summer. I wanted so badly to tell you all about it. I raised a glass in your memory while looking up at the Southern Cross.

Showing 1 - 13 of 13 results