David C. Keenan, age 87 of Sikeston, died at 9:30am Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at Clearview Nursing Center in Sikeston. He was born June 27, 1925, in Robert Lee, Tex., to the late Jesse Walter and Annie Belle Landers Keenan. He graduated from San Angelo, Texas High School, and joined the United State Navy, serving during World War II as an aviation electronic technician from 1944 until his discharge in May of 1946. He entered Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Tex. and graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. At SMU, he was president of Radio Engineers and Engineering Association, served as the Homecoming chairman and was a member of the SMU Student Council. He was in Who’s Who and the Honorary Cycen Fjor and Blue Key organizations. He also served as vice-president of the Independent Students Association. Following graduation at SMU, he worked for Sears, and then became employed by the Texas Power and Light Company in Dallas. He later worked for Kaiser Aluminum as a sales representative, and was recruited by Alcan Aluminum in sales, and was promoted to West Coast Sales Manager and moved to San Francisco, Calif. in 1968. He moved his family to Sikeston in 1970, taking a position as National Sales Manager for Noranda Aluminum. He retired from Noranda in 1986. He worked with his son to establish Alan Wire Company in Sikeston, and worked there for many years following his retirement from Noranda. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Sikeston, and was a member of the Rotary Club for many years. He was married to Mary Emmaline Marston in Cox Chapel at SMU in Dallas on July 21, 1951. She survives of the home in Sikeston.
He is also survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Alan and Debbie Keenan of Sikeston; by two daughters and a son-in-law, Laura Bryant Smith and her husband Denny of Merritt Island, Fla., and Jane Bevans of Columbia, Mo. Also surviving are nine grandchildren and spouses, Matthew and Shawna Bevans, and Jeremy and Jessica Bevans, all of Columbia, Mo., Jonathan Keenan of Sikeston, Paul Bryant of Orlando, Fla., Angeline and Keith Carmichael of Columbia, Mo., Scott Keenan of St. Louis, Mark and Christin Bryant of Cocoa, Fla., Austin David Bryant, US Army stationed at Fort Benning, Ga. , and Blake Alan Bryant, at the Japanese Military Academy in Tokyo, Japan. Four great grandchildren and three step great grandchildren also survive.
Friends may call from 1:00pm until 3:00pm Sunday, October 14, 2012 at the First United Methodist Church. Funeral services will be conducted at 3:00pm in the Church, with the Pastor Rev. Geoff Posegate officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery in Sikeston, with full military honors provided by the Missouri Military Honor Guard Unit. Nunnelee Funeral Chapel is in charge of all arrangements.
Online condolences may be shared at: www.nunneleefuneralchapel.com.
Memorial contributions in his honor may be made to:
The Salvation Army
701 Good Hope
Cape Girardeau, MO 63703
OR
The YMCA of Southeast Missouri
Memorial Fund
511 Taylor
Sikeston, MO 63801
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