Cletus E. Keene, born April 25, 1932 in Wood River, to parents Harvey E Keene and Eunice (Ash) Keene Newton, entered his Heavenly Home October 7, 2019 at 1:20 pm at his home in Alton, under the care of BJC Hospice.
As a child, Cletus attended one room school houses Sherfy and Ingersoll in Foster township through eighth grade. He graduated from Alton Senior High School in 1950.
After high school he volunteered for military service. Cletus served in the Navy as a structural aviation mechanic aboard aircraft carriers, mainly the USS Kersarge, as a part of the Pacific Fleet during the Korean Conflict.
Upon his discharge in 1955 Cletus worked for 32 years as an electrician with LaClede Steel Company. While employed there he served as both a shop steward for the US Steel Workers Union, and a member of the building committee for LaClede Credit Union. After retiring he also worked as a Realtor, a Patient Transporter for Christian Hospital Northeast, a driver for Madison County Transit, and a bus driver in the Alton School District.
Cletus married Marcella McCauley in 1960 in a service officiated by Rev. Roy Carlson at Fosterburg Baptist Church. A faithful member of that church, in the following years he became a Sunday school teacher, AWANA leader, church trustee and building committee member.
In recent years he enjoyed weekly card games in Bethalto, Bunker Hill and Alton, making lots of new friends. Cletus and Marcella also enjoyed traveling to Canada, Hawaii, all 48 contiguous states and finally the 50th state on his list, Alaska, in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary. Perhaps his favorite solo trip was to the Dominican Republic with a church mission team.
In addition to his wife, Cletus is survived by daughter, Brenda and her husband Aaron Merrick of Lone Tree, Colorado, son David and his wife Helen Keene of Fosterburg; grandchildren Audrey (Merrick) and her husband James Steinbach, Caitlyn (Keene) and her husband Tanner Juch, Robert Merrick, Amber Owens and TJ Owens; and five great-grandchildren: Emma and Oliver; Everett and Heath; and Cayden. Cletus is also survived by his sisters Ruby Lee of Otterville, Illinois, and Reba and her husband Marshall Fowler of Ft. Collins Colorado; as well as nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents Harvey and Eunice, his stepfather Owen Newton, older sister Myrtle Lorraine and brother-in-law Chet Rozak, and brother-in-law Dale Lee.
Visitation will be held at Elias Kallal and Schaaf Funeral Home in Alton on Friday October 11th from 4-7pm.
A Funeral Service will be held at the funeral home on Saturday the 12th at 10 am, followed by a private graveside service at Fosterburg cemetery with military honors by Alton VFW Post 1308 officiating.
Memorial gifts may be given to either Fosterburg Baptist Church or BJC Hospice.
An online condolence and guest book may be found at www.eliaskallalandschaaf.com
