Harold Leon Keeney

1925 - 2011

On Aug. 4, 1925, Harold Leon Keeney was born to Fred and Olivia Keeney in a coal mining camp near Boomer, W.Va. He passed away April 19, 2011, in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., with his wife of 62 years at his side.
He loved his mother and his country. When he was 17 he joined the Navy and served in the Pacific during World War II. After the war he joined the Air Force, got married, moved to Texas and had two children. Their son was born in 1949 and in 1950 their daughter was born while Harold was in Korea. The family moved every two or three years, because that's what Air Force families did. Harold took his family with him when he could, but on many assignments he went alone.
Senior Master Sgt. Keeney was a munitions expert and spent many years in SAC. He moved to Fort Walton Beach in 1967 and worked at Eglin Air Force Base until he retired in 1970. He received many commendations for his service, including the Bronze Star for fighting behind enemy lines helping Hmong people of Laos resist the communists.
After his service he worked at W.T. Grants as a salesman and drove a school bus for 13 years. He was instrumental in forming a union for non-instructional employees for Okaloosa County School Board. Those were the best years of his life because he loved those kids and they loved him back.
Harold insisted on having a swimming pool so his grandchildren could learn to swim properly, not to be thrown in to "sink or swim" as he had learned in the Navy. What he enjoyed most was riding his Honda Gold Wing. Owning many of them over the years, he and Marge traveled all over the country with their club members.
He had a large church family, being a longtime member of Wright Baptist Church. He loved his friends there and was always involved in the many activities.
Harold and Marge loved to go to Hardees for breakfast. He didn't have to place an order. They already knew what he wanted! He played some golf a few years back. You knew he had been in the Navy because he always found the water. He hunted and fished long ago and passed on his respect for all life.
Mr. Keeney helped a lot of people in his day, but always insisted on doing things for himself and doing it his way. After all, he fought in three wars. We'll miss you, Dad.
Harold is survived by his wife, Margaret; son and daughter, Gary Keeney and Patricia Rigel, and their families: grandchildren, Jeremy and Amelia Keeney, Zachary Rigel and Charily Blazek, and great-grandchildren, Kenzie Blazek and Atticus Keeney; also his sister, Rose.
Memorial services will be held at Wright Baptist Church on April 25 at 1 p.m. Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.