Richard Benjamin Keyes

Richard Benjamin Keyes of Yreka, California, passed away in Folsom, California on January 20, 2026, surrounded by his loved ones. Born in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 21, 1939 to Cecil Keyes and Laurel Keyes (Nowdesha).

Richard was an accomplished athlete at Yreka High School, playing baseball, football, basketball and track & field. In 1956, Richard was a junior and beat out all seniors in Siskiyou County for the Decathlon, quite a feat in track. After graduation, Richard joined the US Army and proudly became a paratrooper/medic with the 101st Airborne, stationed at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. After his three-year stint in the army, Richard returned to Yreka where he met and married Karen Pepperdine in 1962. They welcomed three daughters and settled in Sacramento, California. Richard was a member of the Teamsters Union and worked at various lumber yards before retiring at the age of 62, when he returned to Yreka and 'God's Country'. Those who knew Richard well would say that he was quite a character, regaling them with funny stories from his youth and forever looking at the stars from the darkest hills and mountains in California and throughout the West. He was also famously known for his "shortcuts" while driving that ended up taking his family and friends on hours-long meandering drives through the mountains of Northern California. He cherished his time spent in the Marble Mountains with his father and brother. Richard looked forward to the week of the Siskiyou County Fair and participating in the horseshoe tournaments over the years.

Richard loved to hunt the mountains, and fish the many rivers and streams in the Yreka area. Camping at Indian Scotty Campground became an annual get together with family that included playing his favorite game, 10,000 Aces. He was an avid reader and enjoyed writing short sci/fi stories. He was a life-long San Francisco Giants and San Francisco 49ers fan. Richard was a wonderful father to his three daughters, supporting their various sporting events growing up, and later in life kept in daily contact through texting.

Richard is survived by his brother Kenneth Keyes and his wife Susan Keyes (Newman), daughters and sons-in-law; Cyndi and Joe Kessing, Connie and Robert Rubio, Kellie and Mark Sherer, his seven grandchildren; Kayla (Joseph) DiMarco, Greg Kessing, Tyler (Bailey) Rubio, Steven (Caitlin) Powell, Natalie (Adam) Domingo, Jenna Powell, Jacob Hamilton; three great-grandchildren; Azariah DiMarco, Lucy Rubio, Abigail DiMarco.

He is predeceased by his parents and his sister Sharon Brigner (Keyes).

A celebration of Richard's life will be held at Yreka Elks Lodge, 332 W. Miner St., Yreka, CA, on May 9, 2026 from 2-6 p.m.