Law enforcement, family, remember Deputy U.S. Marshal

Many of us may consider our dad a hero. Deputy U.S. Marshal Paul Keyes was that, and so much more, to his four children.

“We knew dad touched the hearts of everyone he met,” Jasmine Keyes, Paul’s 18-year-old daughter said Tuesday. “But seeing it in person is just the best.”

Marshal Keyes lost a 15–month battle with leukemia earlier this month.

"Losing a father, its really hard to go through," 18-year-old son Zachary said.

A nearly 15–year veteran of the U.S. Marshals Service, he served in Lincoln on the metro fugitive task force since 2014.

He worked alongside members of Lincoln, Omaha and La Vista police departments, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Federal government– all of whom attended his memorial service Tuesday.

“He’ll be missed and I know he made the community safer here,” fellow U.S. Marshal William Iverson said. “We’ll all have to work together help out to continue on with his hard work.”

Paul is also an Army and Air Force veteran, a former volunteer fire fighter in South Dakota, but, most importantly, a role model for his kids.

“We’re following in his footsteps through a military career, and community service,” daughter Alexis Keyes, 20, said. Alexis is a sophomore in college and in ROTC. Her brother, Zachary, is also in ROTC as a senior in high school.

They’ll have the awards and memorabilia to remember his incredible service to the community, but the greatest title he could ever hold – is dad.