Dana Clifton Keyes, 89, of Wareham died July 19 at Keystone Place at Buzzards Bay. He was the beloved husband of the late Norma (Penney) Keyes who died in 2012.  They had been married for 63 years. He was the son of the late Clifton F. and Lillian E. (Swanwick) Keyes.

He was born in Wareham and lived there all of his life, graduating from Wareham High School in 1947.

He started his career working at the Plymouth Savings Bank in Wareham and then purchased a small insurance agency which he ran from his home. In 1962, he purchased the George A. Cole Agency and in 1964, he merged that business with the Chester Robbins Agency. In 1968, he bought out Robbins and purchased the Will Johnson Insurance Agency; all merging into the Dana C. Keyes Insurance Agency, which ran for many years from 280 Main Street in Wareham.  

Giving back to his community was important to him from a young age, especially serving on the Wareham Fire Department. At the age of 17, while attending Wareham High School, he was a member of the State Guard of Massachusetts. He served on the Wareham Fire Department as a call firefighter beginning in 1952, was Captain of Engine 1, and retired as Assistant Chief after 71 years of service. 

Dana was active in many civic affairs, including being a member of the Wareham Appeal Board and Personnel Board. He was a past president of the Community Associates and was a Past Master of the Social Harmony Lodge where he was recently honored with a 50 year Past Master’s Diploma. 

Dana also served as general chairman of the Tobey Hospital Fund and later a trustee of Tobey Hospital. After Tobey Hospital merged with two other hospitals becoming Southcoast Health Systems, he served as trustee and later, President of the Board of Trustees. 

He was an incorporator of Eastern Bank and served as Senior Warden, Deacon, and Chairman of the Board of Deacons at the First Congregational Church in Wareham. 

Survivors include his children, Dana, Jr. and his wife Teresa of Falmouth, Penney Keyes of Waterford, CT, Holley Gardiner of Portsmouth, NH, and Wendey Collins and her husband Mark of Rochester. Bumpa will be missed terribly by his grandchildren, Caitlin Bendersky, Leigh Ann Killian, Rachael Maginess, Mara Finkelstein, Ashley Collins, Dana Andrew Collins and his great-grandchildren, Norah Maginess, Matai and Gia Bendersky and Clifton Killian; his step-grandchildren, Charmiane, Mishaun and Michael Thines and his step-great-granddaughter, Lillian Melo. He was predeceased by his brother, Richard F. Keyes. 

Dana loved sailing with his wife and family aboard their sailboat, the Venturer.

Dad, Bumpa, Dana – all who knew and loved him will miss his ever-ready smile, his sense of humor, his ability to serve as mentor and friend and mostly his ability to love. 

Visiting hours are from 4 to 7 p.m. on August 2nd at the Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 2599 Cranberry Hwy., Wareham. 

His memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on August 3rd at St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church, 124 Front St., Marion. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Dana’s memory may be made to The Alzheimer’s Association, 480 Pleasant St., Watertown, MA 02472. 

For directions and online guestbook, visit: www.ccgfuneralhome.com.