S. L. FULLER
News Editor
The Keddies are extremely busy people.
Jeff Keddie is the assistant manager of the Fredonia commissary, which includes the central prep kitchen and the bakeshop. His wife, Moriah, is the executive assistant and dining services supervisor, also at Fredonia. They also have three cats named Mia, Marsala and Meesha.
But those aren’t even the things that keep them the busiest. The two things that have the Keddies most out-of-breath are their two kids: Zoey, who is 2 and a half years old, and Gavin, who was born just a couple weeks ago on Nov. 26, the day before Thanksgiving.
In order to tackle so many duties, teamwork is essential. Jeff and Moriah each said that the other has a quirky trait that neither one could live without.
“The one thing that really sticks out is that [Moriah] likes [everything] tidy and in its place,” said Jeff in a recent email interview, “which is good most of the time!”
“I always joke that Jeff acts like a child, but that’s what makes him such a great dad,” said Moriah. “He loves playing silly games with our daughter and even plays with all the girl toys, like dollhouses, and does dress-up with Zoey.”
The Keddies met while working at the same restaurant, and they have been married since July 25, 2008. Both Moriah and Jeff come from big families, so they ended up with nearly 250 guests.
When asked to describe his and Moriah’s wedding, Jeff said that the words “large” and “overwhelming” came to mind.
“I kind of regret not eloping like Moriah had wanted,” continued Jeff. “But we had a lot of fun.”
Family is an important aspect in Jeff and Moriah’s life. In fact, any spare time is dedicated to family.
“We are very family-oriented, so most of our free time is spent with family and close friends,” said Jeff. “I am a trained chef, and my wife is a really great cook, so we like to host dinners and small parties.”
“We have a very active two-year-old daughter, so most of our free time lately is spent building lego castles, blanket forts and helping her glue things on paper,” added Moriah.
Always seeming to have a positive attitude, the Keddies say that even when they’re working and not enjoying free time, they’re still making the most of it.
“I love my current job position. I like to have fun at work and make it an enjoyable work environment for myself and my staff so that everyone can look forward to coming into work,” said Jeff. “My job also gives me the best of culinary arts and baking, which fits my degree of culinary certification.”
“My position is perfect for me,” said Moriah, who is currently on maternity leave. “Although most of my job duties are in the FSA office, I also work in the dining halls and Starbucks as needed. My job allows me to multitask and work in a variety of settings, which always keeps work interesting!”
Even though both of their jobs are related, the Keddies often work on different days and at different times. But when they do end up working on the same days, they try to meet up and eat lunch together.
Their children may be young, but Jeff and Moriah really like Fredonia and wouldn’t mind a bit if their children decide to attend one day.
“I graduated from Fredonia and had a great college experience,” said Moriah. “Depending on what our children decide as a major, I think Fredonia would be a great option, and it would be nice to have them so close to home!”