Chuck Kesey died on Nov. 6, 2025, at the age of 87. Born in La Junta, Colorado, to Fred and Geneva Kesey, Chuck moved to Springfield, Oregon, as a child, where his father managed the Eugene Farmers Creamery. He and his brother, Ken Kesey, grew up amid the scent of fresh milk, learning both the art of hard work and the joy of imagination.
Courtesy of The Kesey family
The co-founder of an iconic Eugene business died Thursday.
Chuck Kesey was a probiotic pioneer and co-founder of Springfield Creamery, the maker of Nancy’s Yogurt. For over 50 years, he remained the unofficial “Keeper of the Culture” and personally taste-tested each batch of yogurt.
With his brother, celebrated author Ken Kesey, Chuck tapped into the 1960s countercultural network. He described some of his experiences to KLCC in 2022.
“We went to really early Grateful Dead Acid Tests,” Kesey said. “In the early time, there were 350 people in the crowd. They’d dance all night. It’s a pretty spectacular thing.”
The family of Chuck Kesey shared that the beloved patriarch, scientist, storyteller died Thursday at home surrounded by family. He was 87.
FILE - Sue and Chuck Kesey visit the Oregon Country Fair in 2024.
Jeff Kastner / OPB
Chuck Kesey was preceded in death by his wife of nearly 65 years, Sue. She died in August.
Sue and Chuck Kesey were some of the earliest vendors at the Oregon Country Fair near Veneta, opening their Springfield Creamery booth in 1971, just two years after the first fair.
The couple were interviewed by OPB as part of a documentary on the 2024 Oregon Country Fair and the event’s history.
In a press release, the Kesey family said plans for a memorial service to celebrate Chuck Kesey’s life will be announced at a later date.
To make a gift to the Chuck and Sue Kesey Endowed Scholarship at Oregon State University’s Department of Food Science and Technology, mail to:
OSU Foundation
4238 SW Research Way
Corvallis, OR 97333.
Or donations can be made online at give.fororegonstate.org/PL1Uv3Fkug. Note “Kesey” in the special instructions box.
Tiffany Eckert is a reporter with KLCC. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.
