O. Hoagland Keep ’64

Hoagie, one of our class’s more colorful characters, died of pancreatic cancer March 8, 2012, in Deerfield, Mass.

Hoagie came to Princeton from The Gunnery, took his meals at Colonial and graduated with honors in anthropology and art history. After serving as a lieutenant in the Coast Guard, Hoagie indulged his passion for adventurous travel — a wanderlust sparked at age 13 by a freighter trip to China with his mother. Often accompanied by his friend T.R. Dew, he voyaged through Russia, Asia, and the Amazon jungle. Between trips he lived in an artist’s studio on the coast of Maine, helping his sister raise his nieces, Lisa, Rose and Julia, and nephew Anthony, all of whom adored him. Once a year he drove to Oaxaca, Mexico, returning with blankets, rugs and artifacts for sale.

In 1978 he joined the faculty of Eaglebrook School. For 34 years Hoagie taught ethics and Russian and Chinese history, eventually becoming director of studies and one of the most beloved teachers. He never used textbooks, preferring histories, news articles and thought-provoking commentary. He festooned his home with African spears, old maps, Scythian knives, flags, and other items he would take to class to illustrate his belief in the worth of all the world’s cultures. The class joins his family and many friends in mourning the loss of this erudite, generous, wonderful man.