Mr. Roland Dunn Keistler Sr.

Roland D. Keistler, 93, died peacefully of natural causes on April 1, 2013 at University Medical Center. He was surrounded by his family and had been visited by his closest friends immediately prior to his death. Roland loved his Lord, his wife and family, his country and baseball. While the number one position never faltered, the other three often were rearranged from the first pitch of opening day until the last out of the World Series.

Roland was born on July 31, 1919 to Edward M. Keistler and Clara Dunn Keistler. He graduated from Paw Creek High School and while attending Paw Creek, met the love of his life, Mary Jean Stewart Howard. Roland was drafted into the U.S. Army for a one year enlistment in 1941 but served until October of 1945. He and Jean were married on April 1, 1942 while stationed at Norfolk, VA and prior to his shipping out for North Africa.

Roland served in the North African campaign, the Mediterranean theater, and finished the war in the European theater of operations in Germany. He began the war and shipped out while in antiaircraft artillery but was retrained and finished the war as a combat engineer. As Roland would say, he blew a lot of stuff up.

Upon his return, Roland joined Gulf Oil Corporation and worked in technical sales for 32 years until his retirement. Over the years, Roland and Jean were members of Memorial Methodist Church, Newell Presbyterian Church, and Huntersville Presbyterian Church. He served as a Deacon, Elder, Sunday school teacher, youth group advisor and very active member. He was one of the first proponents of youth baseball in the Newell community and coached and umpired for many years. He was also active in Hunter-Sloan American Legion Post in Newell.

Roland was preceded in death by his parents, wife Jean Howard Keistler, brothers E. M. Keistler and wife Marie, and James G. (Snook) Keistler and wife Delores.

He is survived by a son, Roland D. Keistler, Jr. (Joyce) of Brentwood, TN and daughter Laura S. Keistler of Huntersville, NC by granddaughters Christina K. Sartell (Brad) of Thompson Station, TN and Emily K. Hackford (Andy) of Spring Hill, TN, and great grandsons Conner Bradley Sartell and Evan Dunn Sartell. He is also survived by brother-in-law and friend S. M. Howard of Charlotte, NC and many nieces and nephews. He touched a lot of lives.

Roland’s life will be celebrated on Thursday, April 4, 2013 at 2:00 at Huntersville Presbyterian Church. Visitation with the family will be at 12:30 at the church just prior to the service. Interment will follow at Charlotte Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers the family suggests a donation to Huntersville Presbyterian Church or any youth baseball program of your choice.

Roland died on the 71st anniversary of his marriage to Jean.

Offer condolences through: www.forestlawnwest.com (704) 395-0055.