Honoree – Aubrey Keif

Aubrey Keif

Honored 1974

Aubrey Keif was born on August 22, 1898, in La Junta, Colorado. He left high school in Pueblo in 1916 to volunteer for service with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). He learned to fly and was attached to a Scottish Squadron as a pursuit pilot flying Sopwith Camels. He returned from World War I having earned the DCM (Distinguished Conduct Medal) and other medals.

Returning to Pueblo he became a sportswriter and city editor of the Pueblo Chieftain newspaper. In the summer of 1929, Aubrey decided to get back into aviation and began work as Regional Sales Manager for the Curtis-Wright Airplane Company in Denver.  In 1930, he joined the 120th Observation Squadron of the Colorado National Guard as a pilot, flying the Douglas 0-2H.

In 1932, he began a long and productive career with the Texaco Oil Company and became Director of Aviation Sales from 1936, and worldwide manager of Texaco’s aviation activities from 1938 and until his retirement in 1965. After retirement, Keif contributed his expertise to the National Business Aircraft Association, served as chairman of the Aircraft Manufacturers Study Committee on Supersonic Transport (SST) fuel design considerations, and exhibited strong leadership during his three terms as chairman of the Aviation Services Technical Committee of the American Petroleum Institute.