Don Clarke Keough

July 12, 1940 - February 26, 2022

Keough, Don Clarke age 81, of Bloomington, Minnesota. Our beloved Don died unexpectedly on Saturday, February 26, 2022, with family by his side. Born in Chicago, IL to parents Richard and Helen Keough in 1940, he grew up in Downers Grove, IL, where, in his own words, he lived "the perfect boyhood" playing with friends and his older brother, Dick, and his younger sister, Joan, in Denburn Woods adjoining his home. Don achieved the level of Eagle Scout, enjoying all the required disciplines along the way; his shirt with all the badges still exists. During his high school years at Downers Grove HS, he was an accomplished athlete on the basketball and tennis teams, and worked as a lifeguard at the town pool. After graduation, Don went to Michigan State University where he received a degree from the School of Business/Hotel and Restaurant Management. This is where he met his first wife, Ginny Pryor and with whom he had two children, David and LeeAnne. He was honored to be elected to represent his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, to the national delegation. This was in 1961, when his proud dad arranged for Don to travel on one of the very first commercial airline jet planes. He also enjoyed several semesters of college in Mexico City, where trips to a yet-to-be-discovered Acapulco provided great adventures with his buddies. Don was recruited by the United States Navy while still in college, as they were looking for good candidates to run their Officers' Clubs. After graduation, he attended Officers' Candidate School (OCS) in Rhode Island, going on to run the largest Officers' Club in the country at Great Lakes in Illinois as a Line Officer. This experience provided the foundation for a long and varied career in Hospitality and Food and Beverage Management. Don was hired by Stouffer Foods after his Navy tour, and was assigned to the company's top restaurants, including the Top of the Sixes in New York City. It was in 1970 that he was sent to open a restaurant in Bloomington, MN, thus beginning a life with his beloved wife, Judy, and her three children, Laurie, Wendy, and Chris. He loved the area and became a true Minnesotan at heart. Don was recruited away from Stouffers by Associated Hosts of Beverly Hills, which resulted in years of opening and overseeing hotels and restaurants in an upper Midwest 10-state region. Don loved his annual vacations with Judy to Maui and Palm Springs, CA, and their annual summer getaways to Gull Lake with kids and grandkids. He loved family life, which was everything to him, socializing with wonderful friends from dinner and wine clubs, and his volunteer work at St. Edward's church. He was a true gentleman, and we will miss his quiet kindness, loving ways, thoughtfulness, sincerity, honesty, integrity, his droll sense of humor, and his chocolate chip cookie addiction. Preceded in death by his parents Richard and Helen Keough, Don is survived by his beloved wife Judy, five children, Laurie, Wendy, Chris, David and LeeAnne, and their spouses, ten grandchildren, a great-grandson, special nieces and nephews, and his brother Dick and sister Joan, for both of whom he had a special love. Mass of Christian Burial at the Church of St. Edward, 9401 Nesbitt Ave. S., Bloomington, MN on Wednesday, March 16, 2022, at 10:00am, with a visitation one hour prior. Private burial will be held this spring at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, with full military honors. Memorials preferred to International Rett Syndrome Foundation (rettsyndrome.org). Services will be livestreamed at stedwardschurch.org/funerals. Washburn-McReavy.com Werness Brothers 952-884-8145