Lt Col. Daniel R. Keenan

Colonel Daniel Richard Keenan, 82, U.S. Army (retired), of Strasburg, Virginia, died November 30, 2010, in a local rehabilitation facility.

Colonel Keenan was born in 1928, in New York City, New York, the son of the late Margaret and Thomas Keenan of Amagh Lough, Ireland. He was in the Aviation Industry for 50 years. He grew up in Rockaway Beach, New York and graduated from Far Rockaway High School. He attended college at Clemson, South Carolina, in the Military’s ASTP program, the University of Maryland and graduated from the Aviation Safety College at the University of Southern California. He attended First Presbyterian Church in Winchester.

Colonel Keenan joined the Army in 1945 and retired after 22 years of service. He was a Veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. He was an Air Field Commander at Vung Tau in Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star, Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Senior Army Aviator’s Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device 60. He retired as Commander of the VIP Flight Detachment (PAT) Davison Field at Fort. Belvoir, Virginia. Colonel Keenan founded Annandale and Fairfax Air Conditioning and Heating, later named Keenan Heating and Cooling.

After retiring from the Army, Colonel Keenan was a Federal Aviation Flight Inspector. He was the principal inspector on various air carriers. After retiring from the FAA, he was employed by the United Nations and served as the Chief Flight Safety Inspector to the governments of the Philippines and Botswana, South Africa.

Colonel Keenan married the former Fay Menefee Ettare of Oakton, formerly of Luray, Virginia, on December 28, 1985, in the Ft. Meyer Chapel at Ft. Meyer, Virginia.

Surviving with his wife are two daughters, Coleen Joan Keenan Hersson of Rixeyville, Virginia and Theresa Ann Keenan Wilson of Gainesville, Florida; son, Daniel Michael Keenan of Annapolis, Maryland; two stepsons, W. Anthony Ettare, Jr. of Chantilly, Virginia and Eric Joseph Ettare of Olde Town Alexandria; seven grandchildren and a brother, Bernard Keenan of Rockaway, New York. Five sisters and three brothers have preceded him in death.

A memorial service will be conducted at 2:00 PM on Friday, at First Presbyterian Church with Reverend Dr. Richard Reifsnyder officiating. Interment will be in Arlington National Cemetery, at a later date, with full military honors.

The family will receive friends on Thursday evening, from 6:00-8:00 PM at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel.

Memorial contributions may be made to Armed Forces Retirement Home, 3700 N. Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20011-8400.

Please view obituaries and tribute wall at www.ompsfuneralhome.com.