John was a generous, kind, and gentle man. He was always happiest when he was with Marie, his wife of 30 years, and together they made a beautiful and welcoming home. He enjoyed keeping up with his grandchildren, whom he adored.
John was born in Walsall, England. When he was five years old, he and his family moved to Canada and made Calgary their home. In Calgary, he discovered a love of sports, playing hockey, baseball, and golf in his younger years. He looked forward to retirement so he could play golf more often. He excelled at all card games and was especially good at poker, playing with friends almost weekly for more than 30 years.
John lived his entire life in Calgary but he loved road trips and cruises. He appreciated nice cars and cared for the ones he owned with great detail. He and Marie often drove across Canada and down to the southern United States. Las Vegas was always a popular destination for John and he made numerous trips there with his friends that were always memorable. He loved his annual golf trip every spring with the boys. For John, the time spent with friends was more important than the golf. He made an annual winter pilgrimage to Yuma where he and Marie would join the other Canadian Snowbirds, trading Calgary winters for the natural beauty and warmth of the Arizona desert. He eagerly looked forward to these each winter and spoke about relaxing with friends and family and soaking in retired life. John and Marie hosted and attended many parties and happy hours there. They would often drive into the desert at night to enjoy campfires with friends.
John always packed elaborate and delicious picnics on road trips with meticulous thought to the delight of his passengers. At home, he would frequently be found in the kitchen cooking and preparing meals for visitors. In the summer, their kitchen was filled with containers of colourful vegetables, freshly harvested from his greenhouse. With his green thumb, he produced tomatoes that became famous amongst family and friends and he freely shared these tasty treats.
John was intensely interested in life. When he wasn’t working in his beloved greenhouse or on a road trip, he could be found sitting in his favourite blue chair. Although he never missed a hockey game on TV, he also had a thirst for knowledge. He watched mysteries, history, and National Geographic documentaries.
John was awarded degrees in Business and Commerce as well as Psychology from the University of Calgary. He worked at Hull Child and Family Services for 36 years where he made many lasting friends. He was a generous person who always offered support, encouragement, and a positive outlook to those close to him. His calming presence, easy going nature, and openness to all will be sadly and immensely missed.
Despite a challenging diagnosis of A.L.S., John remained committed to staying connected with close family and friends. He was remarkably calm as A.L.S. took him down a rough road. John Keenan passed away on April 12, 2021. He leaves behind his wife Marie, loving family, and numerous lifelong friends. He will be deeply missed and remembered with great love.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations being made in John’s memory directly to the A.L.S. Society of Alberta.
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