More detail on this person: John (Jack) Leroy
Keener, Jr. of Beaufort, SC, passed away on
Monday, October 22, 2012. He was born in
Bethesda, MD at Bethesda Naval Hospital, the son
of Dr. John Leroy Keener, Sr., and Catherine
Elizabeth Young Keener. As a Navy military
dependent, he had lived in the Territory of
Hawaii, Quantico, VA; Dahlgren, VA; Warwick, RI;
Portsmouth, VA; and Beaufort, SC. He served in
the US Army as a helicopter pilot and an
instructor pilot, and he retired from the SC Army
National Guard. Military decorations include the
Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Air
Medal, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal,
Vietnamese Service Medal, Vietnamese Campaign
Medal, and Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm.
He graduated from the University of South Carolina
in Biology and obtained a Masters Degree of the
Arts in Biology from The Citadel. He retired from
Clemson University in 2002 and had served as a
Marine Extension Agent, State Commercial Fishery
Specialist, County Extension Director and County
Agricultural Agent for Beaufort County. He started
the Master Naturalist Program in South Carolina
and taught the Master Gardener class in Beaufort
County for many years. He was a member of many
organizations, including: the County Agents
Associations of South Carolina, the SC Fishery
Workers Association, the SC Wildlife Association,
Beaufort County Saddle and Bridle Club member
and President, the Beaufort Rotary Club member,
president and Assistant District Governor,
Beaufort County Farm Bureau member and
president, the Soaring Society of America, Low
Country Soaring Association member and
president, Beaufort Shag Club, and a charter
member of the Exchange Club of Beaufort. At the
time of his death, he was a member of the Carteret
Street United Methodist Church where he served on
the church council. He is survived by his wife
Cindy, his step-daughter Libby Sellers and her
husband, Paton, and son John (Jack) L. Keener III;
brother David Keener, and sister Kathy Keener
Rowan. He and his wife Cindy established Wimbee
Farm in Dale, SC in 1986 where they raised beef
cattle, and produced row crops and pine trees.
Jack held a commercial pilot's license for
helicopters, airplanes, and gliders. Funeral
service for Jack will be held 11:00 a m. Friday
October 26th at Beaufort National Cemetery. In
lieu of flowers please make memorials to Carteret
Street United Methodist Church. Please share your
thoughts and stories about Jack and his life by
visiting www.copelandfuneralservice.com Copeland
Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements.
Published in The Island Packet from October 26 to
November 26, 2012
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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