Jeffrey Scott Keto

Jeffery Keto passed away July 27th, 2026 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center in Springfield Oregon. He was 73 years old. 

He was born on December 5th, 1952 in Ironwood Michigan, to Hjalmer and Miriam Keto. 

As a young boy Jeffrey and his family moved from Michigan to Denver, Colorado and eventually to Oregon where he and his family lived in a tent at Silver Creek Falls State Park for a few months while their new house was being built. He attended Fruitland Grade School, Parrish Middle School, and North Salem High School. He then attended the University of Oregon as a work college trainee with US Bank graduating with a Bachelor of Science and a degree in Marketing. Upon graduating he continued his career at US Bank. 

In 1982, while on an extended sail trip, he met the love of his life Micah Hawes, who had been cruising with her family on their 33' trawler, in Galveston, Texas. After 4 days of getting to know each other, Micah hopped off her family's boat and onto Jeffreys where they began sailing the intercoastal waterway to Florida, then on to the Bahamas and back to Florida where they were married in September of 1983 in Jacksonville. You could say it was a whirlwind courtship and one they carried on for the rest of their time together. 

In 1984,  they moved to Astoria, Oregon securing jobs at US Bank. They then moved to Warrenton, Oregon living for 9 years on their 36' sailboat, a repeating theme in their lives together. 

Jeffrey continued to climb the corporate ladder eventually becoming Vice President and manager of Clatsop County District US Bank in 1990. 

In 1993, the yearning for more adventures kicked in so they turned their resignations at US Bank and began a four year sailing adventure to New Zealand and then on to the Marshall Islands relishing the many ports in between. In 1997, they sailed back to Oregon whereupon Jeffrey secured a job with the Oregon Dept. of Energy and later working for Business Oregon. They moved their home to Mehama, Oregon in 1998.

In 2014, Jeffrey retired from the state of Oregon so he could have many more adventures with Micah which included 3 cruises to Alaska, Cruises to South America, Antarctica, Central America through the Panama Canal and their final trip to the Artic Circle. 

In addition to his parents he was proceeded in death by his brothers, Terry Keto, Lon Keto, and Gordon Keto. 

He is survived by his brother Glenn (Susan) of Athol, Idaho. His nephews, Joseph (Cathy), their children Niko and Aila of Ashland, Oregon, Adam (Tina) their children Jackson and Isaiah of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Eric of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as numerous cousins. 

Jeffrey will be remembered by family and friends as a man who was intelligent, caring, adventuresome and for his love of motorcycles, scuba diving and most of all Micah, the love of his life. 

There is no memorial set at this time.