Jack Keahey

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Jack Lynn Keahey, Jr. (August 24, 1935 - May 4, 2007), was a businessman, politician, and civic leader in tiny Columbia, the seat of Caldwell Parish, in northeastern Louisiana. He was best known as the president of the Tensas Basin Levee Board. Having joined the district in 1992, he served as its president from 2000 until his death.

Keahey (pronounced KAY HE) was born to Jack Keahey, Sr. (1908-1995), and the former Rayma George in St. Joseph, the seat of Tensas Parish, located adjacent to the Mississippi River in northeastern Louisiana. The senior Keahey relocated to Louisiana from Cairo, Illinois, to assist in the construction of the Mississippi River levee. Rayma Keahey's family moved from Yell County in northern Arkansas to Newellton in northern Tensas Parish. Interest in levees hence spanned two generation of Keaheys.

Keahey was a visible spokesman for his levee district operation, which earned repeated "Outstanding Maintenance Awards" from the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The Tensas district appeared strong amid questions having been raised about the preparedness of other levee districts in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

"I would say that we're the best run district in the state. We ought to be the model. Our board welcomes any scrutiny and will pass the test." Keahey told the Monroe News-Star in 2006. John Stringer, the Tensas Levee District executive director, told the News-Star that Keahey was "a fine public servant and an even better friend. He was dedicated to the levee board and a wonderful steward of the public's money."

An avid pilot, Keahey founded a crop dusting company, Keahey Flying Service, in 1964. The firm remains operational under the direction of Keahey's son, Drew Keahey, also of Columbia. Keahey previously served as president of both the Louisiana and National agricultural aviation associations, and Drew currently heads the Louisiana association. Jack Keahey also built his own boat. He was a former member and president of the elected Caldwell Parish School Board. He was also affiliated with the Louisiana Pesticide Advisory Committee.

In 1991, Keahey made a failed bid for the statewide position of agriculture and forestry commissioner, having lost out to the incumbent, his fellow Democrat Bob Odom. He ran third and received 146,256 votes (11 percent) to Odom's 824,167 (60 percent). Republican Don Johnson finished second with 199,688 votes (15 percent). Two other candidates, one Democrat and one Republican, shared the remaining 14 percent.

He was a founding member of the Columbia Church of Christ and taught Sunday school there.

Keahey died of cancer. In addition to his mother, who lives in St. Joseph, and his son Drew and Drew's wife Becky, Keahey is survived by his wife of a half-century, the former Marie Herring; son, Cash Keahey of Richardson, Texas; daughter, Margo Keahey of Gallatin, Tennessee, and five grandchildren. Younger brother Farrel Keahey died in 1994.

Services were held in the First Baptist Church in Columbia. Interment was in Columbia Hill Cemetery. Keahey's friend, Dave Norris, the mayor of West Monroe in Ouachita Parish, wrote in a personal letter that Keahey was "a fine, unselfish public servant — and those are not too common."

Keahey was succeeded as board president by Harris Brown (born ca. 1966) of Monroe, the sitting vice president. Drew Keahey has been nominated to fill the seat previously held by his father.