Keeley, H.D.

KEELEY

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 7/31/2007 at 11:13:20

Maquoketa Sentinel Press, March 16, 1991:
Attorney H.D.Keeley, 93, Dies.
H.D.Keeley, a Maquoketa attorney for 65 years, died Tuesday, March 12, at Jackson County Public Hospital. He was 93.
In a career that spanned seven decades, Keeley specialized in real estate and probate law and operated an abstract and title company. He also participated in numerous civic affairs. A Maquoketa native, he was a source of local history and known as a raconteur of stories and anecdotes about Maquoketa's earlier days.
He was Jackson County attorney for four years during the 1920's, a charter member of the Maquoketa Rotary Club and was active in the fund raising project to build Jackson County Public Hospital. He was also active in Maquoketa's American Legion Post and served as Post Commander and Second District Commander.
Keeley also served as Maquoketa mayor for about 30 anxious minutes on Jan. 2, 1953, playing an instrumental part in unsnarling a complicated political situation. Keeley agreed to serve briefly as mayor when a newly-elected mayor, Ben Jacobsen and City Council, which had ousted the incumbents in a bitter race over a citywide paving and storm sewer project, refused to take the oath of office from incumbent Mayor Lanvil Moler or the City Manager.
Keeley agreed to serve as interim mayor during a transition period when the outgoing council resigned and the incoming council was appointed. The issue drew nationwide news coverage and took on added significance because one of the first duties of the new mayor and council, which had opposed the paving project, was to sign the bonds for the then-completed project. The bonds couldn't have been sold if they were not signed of if there were any question regarding the legal seating of the council approving and signing the bonds.
A graduate of the University of Iowa Law School, Keeley began his law practice June 15, 1923, as an associate of Daniel Theodore Bauman. He was elected county attorney in 1924, the only Democrat elected in the county that year, was re-elected unopposed in 1926 and lost a re-election bid to Everett Schoenthaler in 1928.
He returned to private practice and developed a small abstract business in the law office into a much larger operation. It remains in business today, owned and operated by Ruth Peterson.
After the death of Bauman, Keeley continued in practice and associated with Corliss Baty in January 1976. In February 1987 Alan Pape joined the firm. Keely fully retired on May 1, 1988, at age of 91.
Keeley married Rachel E. Foraker, whom he had met in college, on June 7, 1924. She died July 7, 1981. They have three children, Robert of Branson, Missouri, Vivian Lee Keeley of Minneapolis and Rachel Porter of Coralville. A daughter preceded them in death. Visitation is scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m., Sunday, March 17, at the Keeley home, 305 East Angus Court. No services are planned.