Richard L. Keenan
FERRISBURGH — Richard L. Keenan, a Wellesley, Mass., resident for 50 years, and most recently at North Hill in Needham, Mass., and Ferrisburgh, Vt., died at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vt. on Sept. 1, 2008, at age 85.
Predeceased by his loving wife Barbara (Clarke) Keenan, they married on June 11, 1945, in San Antonio, Texas, where he was a surgical technician in the U.S. Army. Barbara, his wife of 58 years, was “my greatest supporter,” said Dick. “Whatever good occurred to me, she was responsible.”
He is survived by children Clarke Keenan, and his wife, Cathie, of Westwood, Mass., Jonathan Keenan, and his wife, Kathleen, of Monument Beach, Mass., and Bonnie Jane Conway of Export, Pa.; and loving granddaughters, Adrienne and Katie.
Both Dick and Barbara were graduates of Waltham High School in Waltham, Mass. Dick graduated from Norwich University in 1947 and became employed by Waltham Chemical Company, which he purchased in 1963, retiring in 1994.
In addition to his expanding pest control business, he found time to pursue other related interests. He held manager positions with his trade association, the National Pest Control Association. Also, he was elected to the board of Copesan Services Inc. Milwaukee, Wisc., and served as its president for four years. In 1980, he inaugurated CPS Insurance Company Ltd., Hamilton, Bermuda, and was its president for 16 years. CPS insures over 20 percent of the pest control industry in the United States.
In 1981 he was elected a trustee of Norwich University, Northfield, Vt., and served for 21 years. He was vice chairman of the board for the last six years of his tenure. He served with three university presidents.
