Obituary of Alfred Charles Keuten

Alfred Charles Keuten, 95, of Duluth died on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015 at home. He was born in Duluth, to Charles and Florence Keuten. Al married Joy Gray of St. Paul, on Dec. 8, 1945. Al joined the Civilian Conservation Corp working in Oregon and in Minnesota on the Gooseberry Falls Refractory buildings. In 1941 he was drafted into the Army. During World War II, he served as a radio operator teaching Morse Code and as a motor transport operator traveling to Iceland, Ireland, London, Belgium, France and Germany. He was employed at United States Steel in Morgan Park. In 1952 while U.S. Steel was on strike, he built his home which he and his family lived in for 63 years. 1960 he became the owner/operator of a trucking business contracting for Wilderness Foods, Arrowhead Equipment, and Jeno's until his retirement in 1981. He was proud of the fact he traveled to every state in the contiguous 48. Al enjoyed bowling in various Duluth leagues, winning the state's single championship in St Cloud. He hunted the Jim Ready Trail north of Island Lake with his father, brothers, son, sons-in-law, grandchildren and nephews. He loved to fish and fished with everyone who would go with him or take him. His biggest catch was a 32" Walleye. When not fishing or hunting, he was gardening with Joy at the cabin in Sturgeon Lake. He was a VFW Post 2962 member and a past Moose Lodge member. This December Al and Joy celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. He always said she was a saint. Family members preceding Al's death were his parents; six brothers, Joseph, James, Edward, Donald, Gerald and Charles; sons-in-law, Tim Selmser, Michael Gamache and Dale Stoneburner. Surviving family members are his wife Joy; five children Connie Selmser of Duluth, Sally (Gary) Mohr of Pharr, Texas, Sue (Larry Grabau) Stoneburner of Finland, Minn., Cindy (James) Madill of Pharr, Texas, Alfred Jr (Colleen) of Rochester, Minn., and one sister, Dorothy (Don) Nelson of Merrifield, Minn.; 14 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; and seven great great-grandchildren plus one-on-the-way. The family wants to thank all the hospice staff at Essentia Health. Dad always looked forward to your visits. At Al and Joy's request, a funeral celebration will be held at a later date.