Charles Keenan

Charles "Chuck" Keenan, age 85 of Sauk Centre, died Friday, September 12, 2008 at Community Memorial Home in Osakis, Minnesota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, September 15 at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. James Statz officiating. Military honors will be provided by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard with interment following in Calvary Cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday and 8 to 10 a.m. Monday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre. Parish prayers will be at 5 p.m. Sunday evening at the funeral home.

Chuck Keenan was born October 21, 1922 in Wimbledon, North Dakota, the only child of Michael and Margaret (Schweyen) Keenan of Portal, North Dakota. Chuck's passion was music and both in high school and college he was a marimba soloist. His college years at the University of North Dakota were interrupted by nearly three years in the U.S. Navy beginning in World War II. He served in many areas, including the invasion of Okinawa. He was discharged as a Lt. JG in communications. He returned to UND and graduated as a music major in 1947.The same summer he and Betty Alpers were married at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Portal, North Dakota on June 19, 1947. They moved to Bismarck, North Dakota to teach music for three years, until illness of both sets of their parents required them to move closer. They bought a small business in Flaxton, North Dakota, while he continued teaching in Burke County, North Dakota for eight years. Chuck returned to UND for his math degree and started teaching math in Sauk Centre schools in 1960. He had a three year break in teaching when he became a project manager for the Point Mugu Naval Base in California. He returned to Sauk Centre to teach and retired in 1981. For over 20 years, Chuck and Betty enjoyed lots of travel via their motor home and winter stays in Arizona, until his illness kept them in Sauk Centre.Chuck was a member of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church, where he was the choir director for many years. He was also an active member of the Sauk Centre Lions Club and American Legion Post 67.

Chuck is survived by his wife, Betty Keenan of Sauk Centre. During their 61 years of marriage they had six great kids: Jim Michael (Phyllis Chu) Keenan of San Francisco, California; Barb (Steve) Avery of Sartell; Terry (Mary Kay) Keenan of Willmar; twins, Mary (Joe Leo) Miller of St. Cloud and Margy (Jim) Umhoefer of Sauk Centre; and Tom (Martha) Keenan of Minnetonka. There are now 17 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Serving as casket bearers will be his six children. Cross bearer will be Nikki Borner and scripture bearer will be Ali McKenna. Honorary bearers will be retired faculty of Sauk Centre High School and Sauk Centre Lions Club.

Memorials are preferred to Alzheimer's Research or Holy Family School.