 Longtime Alaskan Bud Keener, 89, died Friday, June 29, 2012 at Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna.
A memorial celebration will be 4 p.m. Friday, July 27, at the Kenai Senior Center.
Bud was born Jan. 8, 1923 in Glasco, Kan. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps for the Flying Tigers as crew chief for airplane maintenance from 1942-46. In 1947, he moved to Alaska and lived in Portlock. In 1952, he moved to Clam Gulch and to Kalifornsky Beach in 1965. He commercially fished from 1947-64, including seining, drifting and setnetting. In 1964, he owned and operated Keener Packing Company, doing salmon processing until selling the business and retiring in 1985. He wintered in California with his wife.
Bud was a 32nd degree Mason, and lifetime member of the Elks, and the Kasilof Historical Society. He was also a member of the Eagles, Moose, and the Kenai Methodist Church.
Bud was a co-founder of the Kenai Peninsula Fisherman's Co-op, serving as its first president. He also assisted in the construction and adoption of limited entry, and served on the planning committee to build Bridge Access Road. Bud helped write and implement setnet leasing regulations in Cook Inlet. He also served on the committee to create the Permanent Fund and helped establish the community hall in Clam Gulch.
"During Bud's final days, he expressed extreme gratitude for his 'four lifetimes.' First, was his life in Kansas with his mom and sister, enlisting and serving in China and India. Bud's second life was moving to Alaska with Ev, commercial fishing, homesteading, building a log home alone, raising two sons and operating his own salmon plant. Third was his life of traveling in his motor home with Ev throughout Mexico, Canada and all of the States. Bud's fourth life consisted of his 12 years with Patsy, vegetable gardening and making prize-winning Alaskan crafts, including totem poles and moose-jaw sleds.
"Garage sales and making deals were favorite pastimes of Bud. He loved to visit with people, telling stories and colorful jokes, while smoking his pipe and sipping coffee. If you have a story or memory, please plan to share it at the memorial, or send it to be read there to Tim Keener, P.O. Box 2833, Kenai, AK 99611," his family said.
Bud was preceded in death by his son David Keener, wife, Evelyn Keener and sister, Michaela Fallon.
He is survived by his wife, Patsy; son and daughter-in-law, Tim and Marilyn Keener; grandchildren, Clint and Lindsay Keener; sister-in-law, June Thiele and husband, Carl; nephews and wives, Dan and Jeannette Ducker, Mark and Suzanne Ducker, Aaron and Carleen Ducker; brother-in-law, Russ Fallon; nephews, Russ, Steve, Mark, Denis and Michael; niece, Kathleen; Patsy's children and spouses, Ric, Vicki and Sal Flores, and their children, Sal Jr., Amy and Michelle.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Central Peninsula, P.O. Box 2584, Soldotna, AK 99669.
Arrangements were by Peninsula Memorial Chapel.
Published in The Peninsula Clarion on July 4, 2012
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