February 16 1931 August 11 2019
Dick or “Richard” (as his wife, Vivien, called him) passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 11, 2019 at the age of 88 with his beloved wife at his side. He was born to Joseph and Cecelia (Rohde) Keane in Danbury, CT on 2/16/1931. After playing football and graduating in 1953 from the University of Connecticut, he fulfilled his military duty as a 1st Lieutenant of the 67th Armored Infantry Co. in the United States Army in Bremerhaven, Germany, (Port of Embarkation), where he, among other duties, ran the light weapons range. In 1956, he was employed by Owens Corning Fiberglas as an industrial products salesman and was sent to Louisville. He was promoted and later transferred to Boston, MA, where he met and married his neighbor, Vivien Betances, who had originally planned on joining her parents for only a year to then return to her native Puerto Rico. From the day they met, he said he was returning to Louisville, the city he had grown to love and where he wanted to always live and work in. It was where he successfully established Pear Orchard Corporation, comprised of the construction of apartments, condos and subdivisions within Kentucky. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Pendennis Club and on the Historical Foundation; and the Finance Committee; and a member of the Quarterback Group. Dick/Richard was always complimented for being soft spoken; having a high standard of gentility, kindness and thoughtfulness. He was faithful and loyal to his family/friends and his Roman Catholic faith. Besides his wife, he is survived by his very close niece, Marta Keane (Charlottesville, VA), Marni Keane Connolly (Marty) of CT; Jondi Keane (Pia) of Australia and Vivien’s Puerto Rican nephews, who Richard/Dick always referred to as “the sons I never had”: Francisco (“Ico”) of San Juan, PR; Juan (Sherry) of Ft. Myers, FL and Jose Corrada of Jacksonville, FL, and Ana Corrada Gregg (Ralph) of Ft. Myers. Ratterman Funeral Home, 3711 Lexington Road, “in St. Matthews” is entrusted with the arrangements. A Memorial Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 7:00PM Thursday, August 22 at The Pendennis Club, 218 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd, Louisville, KY 40202. Richard/Dick’s Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 12:00PM, Friday, August 23 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1406 E. Washington St., Louisville, KY 40206, with burial in Cave Hill. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Wounded Warriors Project, or the Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of John Richard “Dick” Keane please visit our Sympathy Store.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of John Richard Dick Keane February 16 1931 August 11 2019.
Ratterman Brothers Funeral Home
Death notice for the town of: Louisville, state: Kentucky