Keith Seaton * *
1949-03-12 2001-01-22
March 12th, 1949 - January 22nd, 2001
Born in 1949 to Ernest and Wanita Seaton of Drain, Douglas County Oregon. He was the youngest of their three boys and was raised in Drain until his eleventh year, when his mother collapsed at home and died of an apparent cerebral hemorrhage.
Shortly after his mother's death, Keith and his father moved to Eugene, where Keith's middle brother attended the university and where his oldest brother and family lived in Springfield. Keith attended Spencer Butte Jr. High and graduated from South Eugene high school in 1967. Immediately after high school Keith attended Outward Bound survival training in the Cascades and then went into the Navy that fall.
Keith's Naval career began during the Vietnam War, when he entered the submarine service. He often joked that in that "filtered" environment, were the only years of his life that he wasn't plagued with hay fever. After 4 years of active duty, Keith returned to Eugene to obtain his degree from the U of O in Geography, all the time continuing in the Naval reserve. It was during this time he met Wanda, a young divorcee and her daughter, Sheila. After their wedding and his receiving a degree, Keith resumed his active career, serving at times on sub-tenders and destroyers.
Approximately 1980, Keith was offered and accepted Officer's Training school. Upon his promotion, he and Wanda separated as she had tired of the travelling involved with being a Navy wife, and Keith was returned to sea duty. In the late 1980's while on leave in California he became reacquainted with Diana Brumfield, who had been in the bridal party of a friend's wedding. They later married while he was stationed at a Naval Reserve center in North Dakota. She accompanied him to duties in San Diego, California; Japan; and Portland, Oregon, where he retired after 30 years of service and began volunteering for the Clark County Red Cross.
Keith died unexpectedly from complications following a surgical procedure. He was survived by his wife, Diana of Vancouver, WA and step-daughters Amy and Sarah; his father, Ernest Seaton of Eugene, OR.; brothers Ernest Jr. and wife Sharon Seaton, of Springfield, OR.; and Robert Seaton of Alaska; and former wife Wanda Seaton of Fayetteville, AR and step-daughter Shelia.
Born in 1949 to Ernest and Wanita Seaton of Drain, Douglas County Oregon. He was the youngest of their three boys and was raised in Drain until his eleventh year, when his mother collapsed at home and died of an apparent cerebral hemorrhage.
Shortly after his mother's death, Keith and his father moved to Eugene, where Keith's middle brother attended the university and where his oldest brother and family lived in Springfield. Keith attended Spencer Butte Jr. High and graduated from South Eugene high school in 1967. Immediately after high school Keith attended Outward Bound survival training in the Cascades and then went into the Navy that fall.
Keith's Naval career began during the Vietnam War, when he entered the submarine service. He often joked that in that "filtered" environment, were the only years of his life that he wasn't plagued with hay fever. After 4 years of active duty, Keith returned to Eugene to obtain his degree from the U of O in Geography, all the time continuing in the Naval reserve. It was during this time he met Wanda, a young divorcee and her daughter, Sheila. After their wedding and his receiving a degree, Keith resumed his active career, serving at times on sub-tenders and destroyers.
Approximately 1980, Keith was offered and accepted Officer's Training school. Upon his promotion, he and Wanda separated as she had tired of the travelling involved with being a Navy wife, and Keith was returned to sea duty. In the late 1980's while on leave in California he became reacquainted with Diana Brumfield, who had been in the bridal party of a friend's wedding. They later married while he was stationed at a Naval Reserve center in North Dakota. She accompanied him to duties in San Diego, California; Japan; and Portland, Oregon, where he retired after 30 years of service and began volunteering for the Clark County Red Cross.
Keith died unexpectedly from complications following a surgical procedure. He was survived by his wife, Diana of Vancouver, WA and step-daughters Amy and Sarah; his father, Ernest Seaton of Eugene, OR.; brothers Ernest Jr. and wife Sharon Seaton, of Springfield, OR.; and Robert Seaton of Alaska; and former wife Wanda Seaton of Fayetteville, AR and step-daughter Shelia.
I am his step-daughter Sara. If you could please correct the spelling to my name I would be most grateful. He was the most wonderful man, husband and father I could have ever asked for who did more with his life than anyone I have ever met. I can only hope I am able to have the same impact on others the way he did.
tribute by Sara Stroud