KEIPER, George - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Dr George F. Keiper, for 36 years a leading eye, ear, nose and throat specialist of Lafyaette and a highly esteemed civic worker was found dead in bed at his home, 12 North Sixth Street at 8:15 o'clock Thursday morning by Harry Hill, his house man and Hannah Strantz, housekeeper. Death is believed to have been caused by cerebral hemorrhage.  "Although he was in his office and on the street as usual Wednesday, Dr. Keiper had not been feeling well.  He complained of sleeplessness and when he did not come down stairs for breakfast at his usual time, 7 o'clock Thursday morning, Miss Strantz thought he was sleeping late. Shortly after 8 o'clock, however, she became worried and asked Mr. Hill to investigate. It was then discovered that he had died during the night. Dr. George K. Throckmortan was summoned and he though that death had occurred about midnight.  

Dr. Keiper was a native of Lafayette and was one of the leading specialists in his field in the entire country. He was the son of Dr. Christian Butz Keiper and Mary Ann Fleming Keiper and was born March 26, 1866.  He received his early educatio nin the local schools and later attended DePauw University from which he graduated in 187.  The following year he entered the University of Michigan and was awarded a masters in 1890 from the department of medicine and surgery and was also awarded an MD degree. He did post graduate work in London in 1899 and in Vienna in 1913.  

In his passing, the community loses one of its foremost citizens a leader in his profession, internationally known as an authority on disease of the eye, ear, nose and throat an active worker in the Methodist Church affairs, a notable figure in Free Masony, prominent in educational life and active in welfare movements and civic service generally.  Supposedly in rugged health, he seemed destined for a ripe old age and the announcement of his unexpected death was a great shock to the city.

Dr. Keiper received his Indiana license in 1890, he was closely associated with St. ELizabeth Hospital and its progress and was one of its staunchest supporters.  He assisted in the organization of the nurse's training school there and for many years was a lecturer in that school.  He was also a member of the staff of the Lafayette Home Hospital, St. Anthony's home, the Children's home, St. Joseph orphanage and Indiana State Soldier's home.  He was the expert eye and ear examiner for the bureau of pensions department of interior from 1891-1925.  He was also the eye, ear, nose and throat specialist for the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville and the Nickle Plate railroads and was the consulting specialist for the Wabash Valley sanitarium

During the world war, Dr. Keiper was a member of the Indiana Council of defense. He was in charge of eye, ear, nose and throat work at Camp Purdue during the war and was a member of the State Red Cross commission also being chairman of the Tippecane County Advisory board.

Dr. Keiper was an authority on diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat, was the author of many articles for medical journals.

He was a member of the Lafayette School board from 1915-1918 and was a trustee of DePauw University from 1898-1925.  He was a member of the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons the Indiana Medical Society; the Indiana Academy of Ophtalmological and Oto-Laryngological society service as VP in 1898-99 chair in 1910-11 and presdent from 191-1925. He was also vice president of the American Medical Association in 1917.

Dr. Keiper became a Master Mason in Lafayette Lodge, F&AM in Nov 1890,  and attained the 32nd degree in March 1898. He was made an odd fellow in Lafayette Lodge No 15 in oct 1890 and member of Wabash Encampment No 6 in 1892.  He was deeply interested in the DeMolay movement and to him Masonry was a science to which he devoted much study.  Dr. Keiper was a member of Trinity ME Church and for many years a member of its official board.  He was a stockholder in the Battle Ground Camp Meeting association.  Republican in politics, in years gone by he took an active part in the affairs of the party. He was for many years a member of the Lincoln Club and also a Rotarian.

Dr. Keiper had a pleasing personality was exceptionally well informed on current to9pics and was always an optimist despite the fact that the death of his wife six years ago was a blow from which he never fully recovered, he was a firm believer in the simple life, exercised systematically and regularly took long walks to keep himself in trim for his work. He had a wide acuaintance and was held in high esteem by a multitude of friends.

On July 9, 1890, Dr. Keiper was united in marriage to Miss Mary Alma Lloyd in this city.  Mrs. Keiper died March 9, 1920. Two children were born to the union, Mrs. Margareat Lloyd Dailey of Chillicothe, Mo and Dr. George F. Keiper, Jr who is practicing in the General Hospital at Los Angeles, Calif.  He is also survived by a brother, Frank Keper, an attorney living in Rochester, NY. The body was removed to the Templeton Funeral Home to be made ready for burial.