EDNA MAXINE GILBERT KEENER

KEENER, EDNA MAXINE GILBERT - age 92, passed away January 14, 2014. Maxine was the protective and loving mother of John Gilbert Keener, Marty Keener Murphy, and Tim Clark Keener; the loving grandmother of Nicole Edler, Sterling Keener, Ploy Keener, Ben Keener, and Alyssa Nicole Keener; great grandmother of Jordan, Brennan and Ashton Edler; aunt to Alice Ruth and William Keener Johnson; and loving mother-in-law to Sumana Keener; and aunt to Rebecca Johnson, and Judy Martin. She was born on August 19, 1921 on her grandparents' farm in Boyd's Creek, Tennessee to Timothy Chandler & Ruth Emert Gilbert & was married to Ben Clark Keener from 1939 until his death in 1959. She is also preceded in death by her son John Gilbert, and her sisters, Virginia Burnette, and Marjorie Johnson. She was a lifelong New Deal Democrat and served as the Chair of the Blount County Women's Democratic League from 1952 to 1965. She was an avid bowler & won the Tennessee Women' s Doubles Championship in 1961 & Singles Championship in 1962. Retired from Atlas Powder, Inc. she then went on to work for American Fidelity Bank for 10 years, after which she worked as a security guard at the Knoxville airport, a job she loved the most. Maxine moved to Fountain City in 2001 after heart bypass surgery and shared a duplex located on her daughter's property with her sister, Margie Johnson. She loved to collect coins and stamps. The family would like to thank the nurses and CNA's 4th floor at Shanondale Healthcare for all their loving care. A memorial service will be conducted at 2:00 pm, February 22, 2014 at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church located at 2931 Kingston Pk., Knoxville with Chris Buice officiatng. East Tennessee Mortuary and Cremation Service is serving the family.