During the 1960s and 1970s, someone – and sometimes more than one someone – from the McKeague family could be found on The University of Tulsa campus. At one point, there were four family members enrolled at TU at the same time. Gordon McKeague completed one of several degrees he held, graduating in 1969 with a master’s in geology. His wife, Louise “Marea” McKeague, enrolled as a non-traditional student while their children were in high school, and she completed her studies for a bachelor’s in English in 1973. Daughters Kathleen and Marian started at about the same time, finishing their bachelor’s degrees in sociology in 1972, and in history in 1977, respectively. The McKeagues’ other two children, Susan and Scott, also attended TU.
In 1974, a year after Marea’s graduation, the McKeague family established the Louise Marea McKeague English Scholarship Fund to provide financial assistance to students enrolled in the Department of English and Literature. Each recipient is selected based on academic achievement and promise as an English major and is known as a McKeague Scholar.
According to her daughter, Susan McKeague Karnes, Marea’s years at TU were among the happiest of her life. Because of the Great Depression, her parents could not afford to send her to college, and Gordon promised Marea when they wed that he would make sure that she was able to attend college. At TU, Marea discovered the breadth and depth of her fine mind and never ceased to take an interest in a vast array of subjects.
On March 24, 2011, the McKeague family lost its beloved patriarch, Gordon Clark McKeague, 84, whose love of learning shined through in his many accomplishments. Along with his TU degree, he held bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and biochemistry and an MBA from The University of Chicago.
As ROTC Colonel of Chicago at the height of World War II, McKeague was the highest ranking ROTC officer in the city, at one point leading 10,000 troops down Michigan Avenue in a spectacular parade. He had been one of only a few high school students in The University of Chicago’s Institute for Military Studies, where his mentor was Norman Maclean, author of A River Runs Through It and a brilliant military logistician.
Gordon McKeague had a fascinating military career, filled with extraordinary experiences and important friendships. Gordon enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps immediately after high school graduation in 1944 and served as a second lieutenant in the Army in the Philippines. He continued to serve his country in the U.S. Army Reserves, rising to the rank of Major General (2 star). He attended the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy War colleges and managed an intelligence office at the Pentagon. He also was appointed by Congress to serve on the Army Science Board. Among his friendships, his bunkmate from the war became Secretary of the Army; his advisor at The University of Chicago became Secretary of State; and another good friend who was an economist advised multiple presidents.
During his 32-year career with Amoco, Gordon held several posts. In Tulsa, he was an exploration operation manager, moving to become president of Amoco Technology in Chicago. There, he was a pioneer in advanced technologies, including solar energy, genetic engineering, short lasers, and more. He also served as the director of corporate development, and he served on numerous corporate boards, where he met famous captains of industry. During his career, McKeague was quoted in Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal, and he became acquainted with Nobel Prize winners.
Gordon McKeague loved sailing, mountain climbing, and running. He and his brother won numerous sailing championships, eventually competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials and in the Pan American games. While in Tulsa, he founded the Tulsa Running Club and ran 13 marathons.
He and Marea married in 1948. Together they enjoyed and explored books, ideas, and the world, traveling to every state in the U.S. and several foreign countries. In raising their children, the McKeagues challenged each one to learn, explore, and achieve. The family spent many hours at museums, aquariums, and zoos, explored historical and geological points of interest, climbed mountains, sailed lakes and seas.
Mr. and Mrs. McKeague were generous to many wonderful organizations, including The University of Tulsa, the Mayo Clinic, the Nature Conservancy, The University of Chicago, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and more. The family honored their parents’ memory by funding a scenic overlook in Galena, Illinois, on Horseshoe Mound, a spot where Gordon McKeague had often explored as a child and where his hunger for endless horizons was born.
The University of Tulsa applauds the members of the McKeague family for their thirst for learning and lifelong pursuit of knowledge and experiences. TU appreciates their generosity in remembering their time in Tulsa and in honoring matriarch Louise Marea McKeague with the Louise Marea McKeague English Scholarship Fund, a gift that will help other TU students pursue the great world of ideas.
