Richmond M. Keeney '52
Richmond M. (Max) Keeney '52 died April 27, 2010.
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Our friend and classmate Richmond M. (Max) Keeney died on April 27 of cancer. Max grew up in Winchester, Mass., where his father, Robert ’20, was principal of Winchester High School, and “the best English teacher Max ever had.” Following his graduation, Max joined the U.S. Air Force, where he served until 1956.
After completing his military service, Max joined the Air Force Association in Washington, D.C., where he was its membership’s director and longtime manager of its insurance program. He was a very active member of his community (Bethesda, Md.), serving as a member of the Montgomery County Council, Maryland National Capital Planning Commission, PTA and Jaycees. In later years, he also served several senior citizens organizations, often reading to residents of nursing homes.
At Amherst, he was a history major, member of Chi Phi and a varsity swimmer. He carried the latter talents into later life, adding tennis and golf to his athletic prowess. An avid stamp collector, he also collected leather bound volumes of classics, jigsaw puzzles (he owned several hundred), stamps (a hobby from his youth) and elephant figurines (probably due his strong affiliation with the GOP). Less well known is the fact that he, Paul Geithner and I were active members of the New Century Investment Club, which attempted to solve the stock market—unsuccessfully—but did produce a nephew (Tim Geithner) who became secretary of the Treasury in 2009.
I had a nice conversation with Max a few days before his passing, while he and his family were having some quality time together.
Max is survived by his widow, Gail, to whom he had been married for 53 years; their three children, Caroline Keeney Meyers of Amherst, Susan Keeney Brown of Bethesda and John of Chicago; and five grandchildren.
—Tim Westbay ’52