Thomas Alphonse Keenan

Thomas Alphonse Keenan, Lt. Col. USAF (ret), age 85, went to be with the Lord on Monday, June 22nd, 2015. Tom was born on Jan 13th, 1930 in Dubois, Pa to Donald Thomas and Mary Schalk Keenan. He spent his youth in Bradford, Pa and graduated from St. Bernard High School in 1947. He attended the US Coast Guard Academy, and in 1948, he joined the US Air Force. Following two years as an enlisted man in Washington, DC, he joined the Aviation Cadet program. He was commissioned in 1951 and spent the next 10 years on a SAC combat crew, then 15 years as an aircraft maintenance officer. During his military career, he was stationed in Texas, Oklahoma, Maine, Washington, Louisiana, Vietnam, Germany, Guam, and Michigan. After “retiring” in 1975, he earned his Business degree and MBA from Louisiana Tech University, then worked as a venture capitalist, ran a business college, managed the county airport in Minden, La, taught flying, maintained seaplanes in Key West, and sold real estate in Boca Raton. After moving to Eastpoint, FL, he served one year as the director of the Florida Seafood Festival in Apalachicola. In 1988, he married Gloria Jacobs and settled in Bristol, Fl. In 2002, with the assistance of countless others, he began development of the 2ft gauge railroad at Veterans Memorial Park in Bristol. The VMRR has become a regional attraction known for the Halloween and Christmas train rides. He and Gloria also travelled extensively. He is survived by his wife Gloria, his former wife Inis (Ed) Bultmann of Panama City, Fl, son Tom Allen (Suzanne) Keenan of Fernandina Beach, FL, daughter Kathleen (Nick) Bahadirli of Panama City Beach, FL, three step daughters, Jill (Wilson) Carraway of Thomasville, Ga, Joni (Donnie) Read of Bristol, FL, Jena Willis of Bristol FL, and grandchildren Jeremy, Alex, Evan, Paige, Ryan, Hali, Hunter, Riley, Summer and Jessica. Tom will be inurned at the Tallahassee National Cemetery at a future date. Bevis Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.bevisfh.com. Family and friends are invited to gather on Sun, June 28th from 2:00 – 4:00 at the Tom Keenan Depot at Veterans Memorial Park in Bristol. Memorial donations may be made to Veterans Memorial Railroad, P.O. Box 399, Bristol, FL 32321. Todd Wahlquist with Bevis Funeral Home is assisting the family with their arrangements. 850-643-3636, www.bevisfh.com

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Thomas Alphonse Keenan

January 13, 1930 - June 22, 2015