Alfred Keating

Alfred William Keating, 76, Arlington Heights, Il, died July 27, 2006. Al was born on August 19, 1929 to John and Caroline Keating and was raised on a farm outside of Wahpeton, ND. He earned his BS in Agriculture in 1951 and an MS in Agricultural Economics in 1957 from North Dakota State University. He served in the US Navy during the Korean Conflict and was named Honor Man of his company at the US Naval Training Center at Great Lakes. He returned to North Dakota where he was a veteran?s agricultural instructor, assistant Grand Forks county extension agent and an assistant marketing specialist for North Dakota State University. Al presented the livestock markets and occasionally hosted a noon program on Channel 4. Al was employed in 1957 by the North Dakota Farm Bureau as director, commodities and research, and later secretary/treasurer. He then served as coordinator, short course and foreign visitor programs for the Institute of Agriculture, University of Minnesota. Students and visitors from more than seventy countries participated in these programs. Al joined the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) in 1965 as assistant director of research in the commodity division. He became director, livestock department and retired thirty years later in 1994. During this time , he represented the AFBF with national livestock and meat packer organizations. He was secretary for AFBF beef cattle, swine, sheep, and goat advisory committees. Al was also director, livestock division for the American Agricultural Marketing Affiliate. In 1978 he traveled on the first trade mission sponsored by the U.S. Meat Export Federation to Japan, the Philippines and Hong Kong. In 1991 he participated in the second trade mission to Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. He also organized a work exchange program for young Australian and American sheep ranchers. Other international travel included: Singapore, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, China, Canada and Mexico. Al served on U.S. Secretary of Agriculture advisory committees from 1972 until retirement. He was a member of a variety of professional and community organizations. The National Livestock Producer?s Association recognized him for efforts to improve marketing services to producers and feeders. He served as chairman of the Livestock Conservation Institute and was given its Meritorious Service Award in 1984. Al is survived by his wife of 55 years, Junette (Hill) Keating, Arlington Heights, IL; son, Stephen D. Keating, Janesville, WI; daughter, Julie Keating Becker and son-in-law, Steven L. Becker, West Des Moines, IA, and their children, Lindsay and Nicole; two sisters, Elma Haas, Orange City, FL and Katherine Moe, Fargo, ND; brother, Raymond (Jean) Keating, Port Aransas, TX; and brother-in-law, Frank Howley, Edina, MN. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters, Madeline Howley and Helene Blaufuss. A private service was held in Fargo, ND on Tuesday, August 1, 2006. Burial was at Holy Cross Cemetery in Fargo. Arrangements by Boulger Funeral Home, Fargo, ND