Obituary

Chase Michael Raymond Keifer (2000 - 2012)

The first born of Maria and Larry Kiefer, Chase was a beautiful baby: very curious with a beautiful face. As a small child, they moved to Oxnard, where his love for the beach and the ocean grew. When Chase turned seven, his baby brother Nash was born. He was a loving big brother to Nash, and was always by his side, watching over him.

Chase was an avid sports player: karate, football, and baseball. He was a common sight at Silver Strand Beach. Outrageous, and vibrant color combinations were his style, with skinny jeans, a beanie, flannel and puka shell necklaces. Chase's contagious smile and kind personality were a magnet for people.

He was a natural born salesman, occasionally working for his aunt Susie at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. He was adorable, smart, funny and a joy to be around. His classmates describe him as a math whiz, a cool kid, a loyal friend who accepted everybody and his closest friends say he was like a brother to them.

Chase attended Mitchell Elementary for a short time in kindergarten, then moved Hollywood Beach Elementary.

Wednesday, June 13th, would have been Chase's sixth grade graduation. Chase entered into rest on June 6, 2012 from unknown medical complications.

He is survived by his parents, Maria and Larry Kiefer, his brother Nash and sister Ashley, his grandmother Juanita, his grandfather Raymond along with his wife Joy, his aunt Susie, and all his family members and friends, both in California and abroad. He will truly brighten heaven, where he will join his maternal grandmother Herminia and his paternal grandfather Philip.

A funeral mass to celebrate the life of Chase will be held at the San Fernando Mission Rey de Espaa Church: 15151 San Fernando Mission Blvd., Mission Hills, CA on Tuesday June 12, 2012 at 12 o'clock. The internment and a reception will follow at San Fernando Mission Cemetery at 11160 Stranwood Ave., Mission Hills, CA.

On June 17th, 2012 a paddle out will be held for Chase at Silver Strand Beach in Oxnard, CA at 12 o'clock.

Published in Ventura County Star from June 12 to June 15, 2012

Chase: June 5, 2012

Notice:

Chase, a gentle 12-year-old boy, always enjoyed playing baseball while his parents, and his grandmother (my neighbor), watched from the sidelines. He did so again this past Monday afternoon.

Late Monday night, Chase experienced severe seizures. He was rushed to a local hospital and later transferred via helicopter to UCLA Medical Center. A massive tumor was found in his brain. Yesterday, his family was told there was nothing that could be done for him.

This afternoon, Chase was removed from life support. He has now died.

Please pray for Chase's grieving family.

To Tony and Rena, the 'grandmother' mentioned is Juanita, whom you recently met, along with her brother, Victor, at the sandwich shop. They had been away since the wee hours of Tuesday morning, and I thought they had gone to Chumash. I saw them leave about 3:00 AM. They had told me they were going to be attending an all-day Bingo Tournament there. They had not, it turned out, made that trip.

Just minutes after Rena called me yesterday, checking on why I would not be going to lunch with you, Victor showed up at the clubhouse, looking for me. He told me that they had received a call about Chase at about 2:30 AM, and they took off for St. Johns. Before they got there, their cell phone rang again, and they learned he was on the way to UCLA. They drove there instead, and were there until Wednesday morning when Victor left to return to Oxnard, leaving Juanita there with her son and daughter-in-law.

Late Wednesday afternoon he told us he had just heard ... the parents had just made the difficult decision to remove Chase from life support.

About 8:30 PM, Juanita arrived home. She had brought Nash, Chase's 5-year-old brother, so the parents would have some alone time. I wept and prayed with her before returning home to share with Dan.

All sorts of passion has been swirling in my head. For the parents, remembering how, when I was a boy, my parents had suffered as they buried four of my siblings. For Juanita, as I remembered all that my grandparents had done to provide loving support for us, especially for my parents. Then, for little Nash, as I thought of my own lifetime of considering how our experience had affected our family, and how I passed the years without those siblings and wondered if I, too, may expect a short lifetime.

I thought, too, of your Mark - soon to be Chase's age. A beautiful, vivacious youngster with his own mounting soccer skills. I prayed for Matt and Sham, and for you two and for Mark's siblings - that you continue providing one another the strong, loving FAMILY support that you have always demonstrated. 

Our families, those with whom we have joined hands for life and those we have brought into the world, are our greatest sources of joy and pride. I believe, too, that they can be our testament to God's Divine Spark of Love and Strength to bolster us as we pass through such moments as Chase's family now must face.

Donn

"A Little Child Shall Lead Them". Isaiah 11:6