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Kenneth Keeney

Kenneth William Keeney, 92, a resident of Sunrise Independent Living in Severna Park since 2004 and formerly of Greenbelt for 55 years, died unexpectedly of a cerebral hemorrhage Oct. 26 at Baltimore Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie.

Born Sept. 11, 1915, in Baltimore, Mr. Kenney attended Glen Burnie High School before leaving school to supplement his family's income during the Depression. He later attended night school, earning his general education development diploma. Mr. Keeney studied accounting at American University in Washington, D.C.

He enlisted in the Army in May 1941 and was assigned to England after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served in a Headquarters Unit under Gen. George S. Patton Jr. in North Africa and Sicily and under Gen. Mark Clark in Italy. He served with three brothers during the war, and was honorably discharged as a master sergeant in August 1945.

Following the war, Mr. Keeney was a budget analyst for several agencies in the Department of Defense, retiring from the Defense Supply Agency in 1976 after 35 years of service.

He enjoyed family gatherings and vacations, and square danced, played softball and bowled in his younger years. He also played the trumpet semi-professionally and sang in church choirs in Greenbelt and Berwyn for more than 50 years.

He was the brother of the late Donald Keeney, long-time owner of Keeney's Music Store on West Street.

He is survived by his wife, Pearl Marie Hazelton Keeney, whom he married on March 30, 1942. Their wedding had been delayed by one day because of the March 29 Palm Sunday 22-inch snowstorm, a date still recognized as one of the top five snowstorms in the Baltimore area, the family said.

Also surviving are two daughters, Theresa Mae Romanek of Jefferson in Frederick County and Kendra Lynn Hurt of Arnold; one brother, Wilbur Keeney of Pinecrest, Fla.; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Barranco and Sons Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church, 611 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd., Severna Park. Internment will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Maryland Veterans Cemetery, 1080 Sunrise Beach Road, Crownsville. Online condolences may be made at www.barrancofuneralhome.com. As Published October 29, 2007 in the Capital newspaper