Jerry Winston Keene Jr

December 6, 1942 - August 8, 2018

Jerry Winston Keene, Jr., 75, passed away Wednesday, August 8, 2018 at Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita. He was born December 6, 1942 in Atchison to Jerry Winston, Sr. And Pearlie Dimple (Pearson) Keene. On June 10, 1967, he married Sharon DeAnn (Pillot) Keene at St. Anne Catholic Church in Wichita. She survives. Jerry graduated from West Platte High School in Weston, Missouri in 1960. He attended William Jewel College in Liberty, Missouri and transferred to St. Benedict’s College in Atchison on scholarship and completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Recreation in 1965. He started his career as a teacher and basketball coach at St. Patrick’s Catholic Jr. High School in Chanute. He then moved to Jefferson City, Missouri to take a job with Snowden-Mize Sporting Goods store. His political career began in Missouri in December 1967. He worked at the department of Community Affairs as a Graphic Artist, Cartographer and later Director of Communications and also did land use planning. He was Missouri Secretary of State as Assistant State Archivist and director of planning and building commission for the city of Jefferson City, Missouri. He was an assistant Missouri State Archivist. He worked for Litwins Clothing Store as an assistant manager in Chanute and as store manager in Pratt and Wellington. He worked for Pratt Regional Medical Center as the purchasing agent and assistant materials manager. He worked for Chickaskia, Golden Belt and Indian Hills Regional Planning Commission as Weatherization Coordinator, eventually became Executive Director of the Commission (12 counties) in Pratt. Entity became known as Rural Kansas Association of Governments. Wrote the original Housing Rehabilitation Model used by the Kansas Department of Commerce for the Kansas Community Development Block Grant Program. Was a Kansas representative to the National Weatherization Conference in Portland, Oregon. Spoke on housing at the NationalAssociation of Regional Planning Commission Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Lobbied the Kansas Legislature of behalf of rural governments. He worked for Taylor Engineering in Garden City as a Consulting City Planner. Co-owned engineering firm, ECCO Engineering in Pratt and Durr Engineering in Hutchinson. He was the Economic Development Director for Scott County and Scott City. He was the Associate Editor for the Scott City News Chronicle. Worked as a consultant for Gaschler Engineering Company. Worked for Platte County, Missouri (North Kansas City) as Demolition Coordinator for Missouri River flood cleanup. He was a reporter for Atchison Daily Glove and Chanute Tribune. He worked for Flint Oak Hunting Preserve in Fall River as Marketing Manager. He was the Managing Editor for Russell Daily News and Russell County News, Anthony Republican, Woodward News, Smith Center News and Barber County Index. He was the government reporter for the Pratt Tribune. Managing editor for Kiowa County Signal. He was a member of the Kansas Silver Haired Legislator for Pratt County Board of Directors and on the Board of Directors for Southwest Kansas Area Agency of Aging. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Pratt. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, art, drawing, painting, history and collecting things. He is survived by his wife, Sharon; son, Shawn (Lajean) Keene of Tonganoxie; daughters, Deidre Hurley of Mt. Vernon, Indiana, Heather (David) Herren of Pratt and Crystal (Mike) Marzolf of Great Bend; and grandchildren, Emmett and Caroline Keene, John, Brian and Tyler Hurley and Katelyn Scherer. He is preceded in death by his parents. Cremation has taken place. Memorial Mass will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, August 11, 2018 at Sacred Heart Church with Father Michael Klag presiding. The family will receive friends at the church after mass. Graveside service will be scheduled at a later date at Greenlawn Cemetery, Pratt. Memorials may be made to American Lung Association in care of Larrison Mortuary, 300 Country Club Road, Pratt.