A requiem mass for the happy repose of the soul of Joseph Keenan,74, Trinidad will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 18, 2013 at Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Tyler with The Very Rev. Anthony McLaughlin, JCD, celebrant.
A recitation of the rosary will be 6 p.m. Wednesday at Carroll-Lehr Funeral Chapel. Burial will be 3 p.m. Thursday in Mary Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Malakoff.
Mr. Keenan died July 13, 2013 in Tyler.
He was born Aug. 5, 1938 in Washington D.C. to the late Joseph Aloysius Keenan, Jr. and Frances O’Conner Becker. After earning a PhD in Nuclear Chemistry from Clark University in Worcester, Mass., he had a 30-year career with Texas Instruments while living in Richardson. He retired as a Senior Member of Technical Staff. Mr. Keenan spent the past 15 years in Trinidad. In his retirement he loved to research and build model planes and ships in impressive detail and historical accuracy. He was a daily communicant of Mary Queen of Heaven Church in Malakoff. His daily work as a Catholic, husband and father, while seldom flashy, required a dedication and endurance that is difficult to describe but is sorely missed when absent. As a daily communicant of Mary Queen of Heaven Church, he welcomed all tasks from ministering to the sick and infirmed to simply polishing brass. As a husband he was quick to assist in and driven to complete tasks lovingly. He brought this dedication to his children through participating in Indian guides, soccer games and refereeing countless swim meets. He recognized the need for even the simplest task and made himself available to organize and complete them. The accumulation of these efforts is a great work we are grateful for.
Mr. Keenan was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include his wife Sarah “Sally” Keenan; daughter Jill E. Keenan and husband Don Boline, Asusa, Calif.; son Patrick M. Keenan and wife Valerie Nellen, San Juan Capistrano; grandchildren Declan Keenan and Phineas Keenan.
Memorials may be made to the building fund of Mary Queen of Heaven Catholic Church, 2269 CR 1703, Malakoff, Texas 75148.