The following
is an excerpt of the Obituary that appeared in The Missoulian,
July 26, 2000. Harold's contribution to Beach Transportation
can be read in the Our History section.
Missoula
Loved by all who knew him, Harold
"Harley" Keyser, 74 passed away Monday, July 24,
2000, at St. Patrick Hospital.
We all have angels in our lives that we
depend on for love, grace, hope and a warm smile. For many
that was Harold, a man with a huge heart and a firm handshake
who never met a stranger.
Harold was born in the farming community
of Philip, SD, April 15, 1926. In September 1941, the Keyser
family, including Harold, his brother Bob and their parents
Mae and Russell Keyser, moved to Florence. For three years
Harold was proud to call himself a Florence Falcon. After
graduating from Florence-Carlton High School and attending
the University of Montana for a year, he enlisted in the
US Army and served a two-year tour of duty in Japan from
1947-1948. Following his honorable discharge in 1949, Harold
returned to Missoula and began his more than 50 year career
with Beach Transportation Company. It was while driving
bus that he met his loving wife Darlene Evans of Pilzville.
The two were married June 24, 1952. They had four children,
Dionne, Mike, Debbie and Tena. In addition to driving bus,
in the 1960s, Harold and Darlene owned and operated Keyser's
Market, a small grocery store in Florence. In the '40s and
'50s, Harold's family also owned and operated The Pines,
a family-run restaurant.
Most important in Harold's life were his
family and friends. He was a wonderful grandfather of seven
and a dear friend to countless others. He was an avid sports
fan. Harold was a dedicated suporter of Grizzly athletics
and a frequent spectator at all area sporting events. Harold
was also well-known for his spectacular Christmas light
displays that lit up the Missoula skies annually and drew
a constant flow of visitors from around the city. Indeed,
Harold R. Keyser was a blessing to all who knew him. With
a unique ability to make others feel welcome and a genuine
concern for people's happiness, he touched the lives of
everyone he met.
