Keith Edward Keener passed away at the age of 62 after a brief fight with cancer. He is survived by his wife Kristin Smith of Springfield, OR; his son, McKinley Keener (Caroline) of Caldwell, Idaho; his daughter Cleo Weick (Cory) of Twin Falls, Idaho; sisters Kathy Keener and Julia Keener; and his father, Gerry Keener.
Keith attended South Eugene High School where he was active in The Dorians, a vocal jazz ensemble, and the high school ski team. He continued to be an avid skier his entire life, passing his love for the sport on to his children, McKinley and Cleo.
Keith earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial arts education from Oregon State University, the last class to graduate with that degree in 1991. He went on to earn his master’s degree in education administration in 2006 from the University of Oregon.
Prior to a 31-year career teaching middle school shop for Springfield Public Schools, Keith owned and operated a construction company, Keener Carpentry. He was a true tradesman who loved to build and create, and he was passionate about passing those skills on to generations of students as a shop teacher.
Keith loved the outdoors! In addition to skiing, he was an avid fisherman who loved spending time on the nearby rivers as well as the Oregon coast.
He was a constant presence at his home mountain, Willamette Pass; his cowboy hat and booming laugh were known to all. Having skied there since the days of rope tows, he knew every inch of terrain and never tired of “sliding.” There were many memories made on mountains from Whistler to Sun Valley and everywhere in between, but home would always be Willamette Pass.
Keith will be remembered as the guy with the generous heart and wide smile who was always willing to listen or lend a hand to anyone needing help. He formed lasting relationships with his students, many of whom sought him out in later years to thank him for teaching them lifelong skills.
Keith’s family would like to invite the community to a Celebration of Life to honor Keith on Sunday, March 15 from 1:00 – 4:00 at the Springfield Elks Lodge. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Springfield Education Foundation.
