By Hillary Gavan
For StatelineBusiness

BELOIT -- The community lost a prominent industrialist and staunch supporter of Beloit College.

William Keefer, 83, passed away April 7.

Keefer, of Rockton, was the retired chairman and CEO of Warner Electric Brake & Clutch Co. He became associated with Warner Electric in 1957 after holding executive and consulting positions with U.S. Steel Corp. and other firms. Keefer was named president of Warner Electric in 1967 and chairman and chief executive officer in 1984. He served a total of three decades at the company.

In addition to his service at Warner Electric Brake and Clutch, Keefer was active in the community. Keefer and his wife Gayle became supporters of Beloit College and in 1976 he joined the Board of Trustees.

Keefer is credited for using his financial and accounting skills to turn the college around and help restore a balanced budget after some challenging years in the 1970s.

In 1985 the Keefers made a major financial contribution to the college with a gift of $750,000 to fully endow a faculty chair. On making the gift, the Keefers' stipulated that the gift fund the humanities.

As chairman of the Beloit College Board, Keefer presided over the boards' production of "A Plan for Beloit College." The most visible portions of the plan were seen in building renovations to Memorial Hall and to the dormitory buildings. Less visible were the installation of fiber optics and a computer network for the college.

In 1994, Keefer was honored with an honorary doctor of humane letters degree by Beloit College and, in 2007, the couple was presented the "Bridge to the Future" award by the Stateline Community Foundation.

With former Beloit College President Miller Upton, he organized the Upton-Keefer Committee in the late 1960s to stimulate economic development and community improvement in the region. This work led to the formation of the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corporation. In 1989, he was one of the first business leaders to be inducted into the Business Hall of Fame of Junior Achievement of Rock River Inc.

Keefer also served as president of the Stateline United Givers Fund (forerunner of United Way) and in other civic posts.

Keefer is survived by his wife, and two children, Kirsten, and Keith and his wife Marcia, and two grandchildren, Jillian and Derek.

Born in Chicago in 1925, Keefer served in World War II as a member of the U.S. Army. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1950 and went on to do graduate work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.