Craig, Alaska, farrier Dale Frederick Keeler passed away Nov. 10, 2018. He was 77.

Keeler was an avid lover of the outdoors, and enjoyed canoeing and ranching. He was also a blacksmith, a butcher and a farrier during his career.

“My dad was very good farrier,” says Jody Lydick, Keeler’s daughter. “He did hot shoeing, corrective work, and pain management for horses with hoof diseases and problems. He handled everything from wild broncs, draft horses, all the way to ponies. He was never educated, but was taught by the best. I was his nail hander and nipper holder as a girl. We went all over the place in the summer, and I watched him take care of working horses, pleasure horses, high-end show horses, or little kids’ pets. It was all fun, and I miss the connection with my Dad.”

There will be a celebration of life honoring Keeler at a future date. If you would like to share your personal stories of Keeler, please contact fjlydick11@hotmail.com.