William R. Keen, Jr.

William R. Keen, Jr., 90, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at his home at Freedom Village, Coatesville, PA.

Though he was raised in Delaware County, Bill was the 3rd generation from Atglen/Christiana in Lancaster County. He graduated from Swarthmore High School, where he met Mary Alice West, his high school sweetheart and wife of seventy years. He went on to Franklin & Marshall College, graduated, married Mary Alice, and was drafted into the Army, where he served in Korea as a 1st Sergeant in the 24th Infantry. Bill returned to work for the Insurance Company of North America and was transferred to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he attended Chase Law School at night on the GI bill. Upon graduation, he moved home to southeastern Pennsylvania, where he remained to raise his family of 4 children and practice law in Chester/Lancaster County.

Bill greatly enjoyed the practice of law, his profession for nearly fifty years. During that time, he served in many roles, including solicitor for the townships of West Brandywine, West Sadsbury, West Caln, and East Fallowfield, the Borough of Honey Brook, Lukens Federal Credit Union (now Citadel Federal Credit Union), Penn Valley Savings & Loan (now PNC), and the Coatesville Area School Board. Bill was very social and outgoing, and valued the many friendships he made along the way. For most of his career, he had the joy of sharing his practice with his son, Bill, and daughter, Kathy. The practice continues as Keen, Keen & Good, LLC, and now includes his grandson, Gordon.

Bill firmly believed in the importance of service and dedicated himself to many causes over the years. He served as president of the Coatesville Optimist Club, Coatesville Rotary Club (where he was named Man of the Year in the 90’s), and Chester County Blind Association (where he also served as Treasurer for twenty-five years). He also served on the boards of the Coatesville Senior Center and Olivet Methodist Church, and was a Sunday school teacher at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Trinity for fifteen years. Because he had a wonderful sense of humor, he often took on speaking roles at these organizations.

Bill had many hobbies and passions, all of which involved spending time with his family. He loved his boat and had many sailing adventures on the Chesapeake Bay. He loved working and spending time at the Keen summer retreat (“Bartshire”) in Lancaster County. He loved his vacations in Ocean City, NJ, joined by his entire family for nearly twenty-five years, and visiting two of his sons and their families in Scottsdale, AZ. He traveled all over the world. Notable adventures included snowmobiling in Yellowstone, walking the Great Wall of China, hiking the Grand Canyon, taking an African safari, and taxiing to the town where he was stationed in Korea. He took his family to almost every state in the U.S., including most of the major national parks. Bill would say many times in his last years – “haven’t we had a wonderful life.”

Bill is survived by his wife, Mary Alice, four children, Kathleen (Kevin) Good of Coatesville, PA; John (Jill) of Scottsdale, AZ; William (Laurie) of Coatesville, PA; and Curtis, of Scottsdale, AZ; 13 grandchildren; and a growing number of great-grandchildren, of which there are currently 10.

The family will not be holding funeral services at this time due to the pandemic, but look forward to celebrating his life when they can safely gather.