E. Arthur Keen, Jr.
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E. Arthur Keen, Jr., 81, of Coatesville, passed away on Sunday, February 7, 2010 at the Life Care Hospital of West Chester. He was the beloved husband of Nancy Karinch Keen.
Born on November 7, 1928 in Parkesburg, he was the son of the late Mary Fehl Keen and E. Arthur Keen, SR. An area resident his entire life, he attended Parkesburg Elementary School and Parkesburg High School, where he was the snare drummer in the Parkesburg Band. Art was a Air Raid Bicycle Messenger during WWII. He was a 1947 graduate of the Valley Forge Military Academy and graduated from the Penn State University with a B.S. in Agricultural Economics.
After graduating from Penn State, Art went to work with his father in the family business of EH Keen & Son, Inc. in Parkesburg, where he eventually rose to President of the Corporation. He expanded the business to a second location in Atglen, as well as adding a home and garden store and a building truss factory.
He was a member of the Skerrett Lodge #343 F. & A.M. of Cochranville, a 15 year member and Past President of the Parkesburg Lions Club, member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Feed Dealers Assoc., member of the Vo-Tech School Advisory Committee, and the Chester County Chamber of Commerce. He served on Parkesburg Borough Council, was the Regional Director of Meridian Bank, the Director for Farmers Bank of Parkesburg and through bank mergers including Meridian Bank, served as a Trustee of the Parkesburg United Presbyterian Church; was a director of Christiana Water Co., director of the Coatesville Building and Loan Society and he received a special award from the American Red Cross for being regular blood donor.
He is survived, in addition to his wife, by two children: Robert M. Keen, husband of Joa, of Honey Brook and Jill Bickert, wife of Kevin, of Palm Springs, Ca.; stepson, David M. Wolfe, husband Donna, of Bermuda; two grandchildren, Megan and James Keen, and one step-grandson, Connor Wolfe. He was predeceased by his sister, Dorothy Jean Keen.
The Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 511 Main St., Parkesburg, PA. Family and friends are invited to attend the visitation, which will be held at the Church from 10 until 10:45 a.m., at which time the Masonic Service will be held.
Donations may be made in Art's memory to the Blind Assoc., 71 S. 1st Ave., Coatesville, PA 19320.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Wilde Funeral Home of Parkesburg. Online condolences can be posted at www.wildefuneralhome.com
Condolences
Dear Nancy, I was so sorry to
Dear Nancy,
I was so sorry to read about Art. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you durng this very sad time.
Much love,
Lynne
your dad
Bobby and Jill - I was so sorry to hear about Art's passing. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your families. Love, Jill
Art's Passing
Dear Nancy,
Doug and I were so sorry to hear of the passing of Art. God has taken him home and he is at peace, now. Even though Art is at rest, we know how much you are grieving. Please remember that there are many family members and friends who love you and are there to help you through this sad time.
God Bless You,
Donna and Doug
A Great Loss
First and foremost I Would like to offer my Condolences to Arts Family and Friends . Arts passing will be felt by many people who Knew him. To me Art was Smart , Funny, Wise, and Great friend and Mentor who left his mark on me and I will miss him Greatly. My Thoughts and prayers are with Him and his Family, may God be with them.
Nancy, The boys and I were
Nancy,
The boys and I were very sorry to hear about Art's passing. I know for a fact that Mike truly respectd Art, not only as a friend but as a business man.He was always good to us and Hennessy Brothers.His great sense of humor will be missed by many. Mike will be there to greet him when he arrives at the Pearly gates and then the partying will begin.
I am sorry I won't be able to attend the service on Saturday as I will be away. Please know that you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
Mary Kay, Kevin and Robert
Deepest Sympathy
Dear Nancy -
We were surprised to read of Art's passing. Please accept our sincere and deepest sympathy. Art was always a friendly, cheerful person with a great sense of humor. We will miss him very much. You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Terri & Michael
Deeply Missed
Nancy, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you. Art has been such an icon in this neighborhood. Someone we could always go to. We truely look up to him and admire all that he has accomplished and embrase the wisdom he has shared, he truly was an inspiration to us. Know that we will always be here for you. We are so sad and he is already deeply missed...
so missed
Nancy, Bob, Jill and all of your families,
What a joy to have known this great man. He was always kind and funny and very insightful. He was a true American success story, and one of the finest teachers we have ever had. He really could do anything, and was there for all of us when we needed to "pick his brain" and tap into his experience. It is such a heartache to face our tomorrows without Art. We will always be in his debt. Be brave and please know that you are not alone. We just loved him so much. carol
My love is with you.
My love is with you.
Nancy, Jill & Bob
I was stunned at the news of Art's passing, not knowing he was ill. Please accept my heartfelt sympathy and condolences. Know too that he is in a better place.
-Greg-
with sadness
Jill and Kevin,
Our deepest sympathy for your loss. May the Lord's hand guide you and your family in this time of sorrow.
Lynn and Jim
Dear Nancy, Our heartfelt
Dear Nancy,
Our heartfelt sympathies go out to you and your families on the loss of such a wonderful person. Art knew what it took to work hard, find success and still be able to enjoy life. We will miss his presence and wit. Please keep in your heart that you will be in our thoughts and prayers. Remain strong in your faith and with confidience that there will be better tomorrows.
Love,
Barb and Jack
Sincere Sympathy
Dear Nancy,
I was sadden to hear of Art's passing. The two of you always brought laughter and fun to any gathering! I always felt the Parkesburg connection with Art. I pray you will somehow find peace in knowing other's care. My deepest sympathy to you and your family.
Love, Bernadette and family
Joe and I would like to
Joe and I would like to extend our prayers and sympathy to the Keen family. We enjoyed talking with Art at Coatesville CC. Art will be missed.
Carolyn O'Brien
Art
We feel special having had the opportunity to be friends with Arthur. He was a very special man, a kind and generous person, a good side-kick and fun to be with. We enjoyed one another's jokes, golf, along with a nice drink, hours playing bridge and an occassional cigar. We only knew Art for a relatively short time, but grew to love his ways, sometimes like a larger-than-life, shambling bear of a man. But he was oh-so-soft and cuddly and kind. A gentle soul, a fine friend and a man who we will all miss dearly. Life will go on, but right now there is a hole in it for us. We know that for you, dear Nancy, and for Art's family and many friends it is a much larger empty space. We grieve because a dear friend has gone on to a greater place and a larger challenge. We do know, however, that Art will be among the first to greet us when we get there eventually. And then we will find out how to make a perfect seven no trump bid successfully. We hold you close in our hearts and minds, dear Arthur. And, as we miss you, we wish you a wonderful journey. Hasta luego amigo y hermano, safari salama, until we meet again. All our love. Jim & Elayne
Art
Dear Nancy,
I was so saddened to hear that Art passed on. I dearly loved him. Both of you were among the first people that I became friends with when I moved here 6 years ago. I will always treasure the memories of my time with both of you on the golf course and visiting together in your kitchen. Art loved to joke and always made me feel like family. He will always have a special place in my heart and will truely be missed. My love and prayers go out to you and the Keen family.
Virginia Desrosiers