James William McKeown III

James W. "Jim" McKeown III
March 15, 1932 - October 21, 2025

On October 21, after a brief illness, James W. "Jim" McKeown III passed away peacefully at the age of 93, surrounded by love and family. To those who knew him best, he was affectionately known as Dad, Uncle Bubba, Granddaddy Jim, or Great Granddaddy - a man whose warmth, faith, and genuine kindness touched everyone he met.

Jim was preceded in death by his devoted wife, Sallie, his father James W. McKeown Jr., his mother Louise, his grandmother Carrie, his sister Frances, his brother David, and his grandson Zach.

He is survived by his sister, Linda, his four children - Mike, Russ, Steve, and Kari - ten grandchildren: Ben, Kaitlin, Anna, Jay, Heather, Erin, Shane, Kyle, Victoria, and Katherine, and ten great-grandchildren: Luca, Grady, Zara, JJ, Faith, Connor, Claire, KJ, Kinley, and Andi. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.

Jim was known for his strong Christian faith and his gift for connecting with people. He was truly a "people person" who never met a stranger - always ready with a warm smile, a listening ear, and a good story to share.

He grew up in the Maryland/DC area, and after high school, joined the U.S. Air Force, where he rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. When the war ended, the Air Force asked him to name three preferred bases for reassignment. He suggested Andrews, Bolling, and Langley - but fate had other plans and sent him instead to Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, Louisiana. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as that's where he met and married the love of his life, Sallie.

The couple later returned to Maryland, first living in Nanjemoy and then settling in Ripley, where they raised their family for several decades. Jim worked at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Indian Head, back when it was known as the Naval Propellant Plant, where explosive weapons and ammunition were manufactured. As head of the electrical plant, Jim's job was to ensure uninterrupted power - a responsibility he carried out flawlessly, knowing that even a momentary outage could have catastrophic results. Though he never had a single power failure, he was injured while rushing to shut off a large valve, leading to his retirement on disability.

After retirement, Jim and Sallie enjoyed many happy years of travel and adventure, living in Florida, Delaware, and North Carolina. After Sallie's passing, Jim spent his later years with his daughter Kari and son-in-law Terry in Davidson, North Carolina.

There, he became something of a local legend - the guy on the little red scooter who knew no strangers. He cruised the sidewalks of town, visiting friends, chatting with neighbors, and occasionally driving through local restaurants when he got hungry. At 90 years old, he renewed his driver's license and continued to travel independently, flying solo to visit lifelong friends in Florida and the DC area.

Jim's life was one filled with love, laughter, faith, and purpose. He leaves behind a legacy of kindness, curiosity, and connection - a true example of how to live fully and love deeply.

Truly, there is much to celebrate in a long, eventful, and loving life.

Services

North Carolina Service
Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home
16901 Old Statesville Road, Huntersville, NC
Sunday, November 2
3:00 PM - Viewing
4:00 PM - Service

Maryland Family Service
Marbury Baptist Church, Marbury, MD
Sunday, November 23
2:00 PM - Receiving
3:00 PM - Service
Reception to follow at the church

Burial
Cheltenham Veterans Cemetery
Monday, November 24 at 1:45 PM

In Lieu of Flowers
Donations in Jim's memory may be made to one of the following:

Marbury Baptist Church
4670 Bicknell Road
Marbury, MD 20658

Wounded Warrior Project
P.O. Box 758516
Topeka, KS 66675
www.woundedwarriorproject.org

Online memories and condolences may be shared at www.KepnerFH.com