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Keno McNeilPosted at 06/15/2007 08:58:47 By Jim Tormey
Just wanted to say that I got the bad news from Terry Grant about Keno. He was not only a great brother in Stags but a good friend and a very, very funny guy. He is now joining Bill Day and Artie Pritchard. That was our foursome and he will be missed but not forgotten. The four of us had many laughs and some crazy times. We went on paper drives, picking up paper in Bill's father's truck. When we went to weight in Keno and I would hide under the paper to increase the weight and therefore, get more money. He was my courage and my backbone when we were go on a scavenger hunt. We had to go to Honkie Rush's house to somehow get her bra. We were successful! No more said!!! Let's hope he passed at least a 1/2 hour before the devil knew he was gone.



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/15/2007 10:09:40 By Terrence W. Grant
Jim: Thanks for sharing and showing up on line...it's guys like you who are the backbone of Stags. I wish you'd pop on more often...as I told you we usually do these things "In their memory site" but you created one for Keno and he deserves it. Jim might dove tail them together

Keno always showed up for a Stags event whether it be fishing in Belize or Flamingo...he didnt catch anything but he showed up.

Arent we glad we have that picture of you, Keno and I at the Venetian Pool during our '56 reunion.

Also, Jim I want to congratulate you on 10 years without the sauce...you the man...

I will see Honky tomorrow at Keno's event and I will bring her bra back...by the way you were a crappie pledge. And Keno pledged for me both in Stags and Sigma Chi as did Artie



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/15/2007 10:54:02 By Don H.
Jim T,
So glad that you started a separate thread for Keno. He really meant a lot to so many of us, wayback then and in recent times.From the football field, as a Stags brother, and a good, good, friend.And of course our infamous fishing trips where he and Terry competed for the fewish fish caught.
We had recently rekindled our friendship when he bought a condo near my house and we frequently had lunch or dinner with him.My wife often said to me what a gemtleman and a kind person. She really liked Keno, the goodness shown though.
Rest in peace brother.




Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/15/2007 11:54:11 By sylvia atwood
Guys: I am so sorry to hear of the loss of one of your special friends and brothers. I did not have the chance to see Keno since high school, but have followed his life here on the Stags website. I send you all my love and condolences. Days like this remind us to live each day with a special meaning and to express our love to all those we care about.
It is such a wonderful feeling to see the love you brothers have for each other. I will be thinking of you during the services and wish I wasn't so far away. Much love to each of you. Sylvia



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/15/2007 02:41:39 By john scopetta 68
I am so very sorry to hear of Keno’s passing he was a wonderful person and had a great disposition, a true gentleman and very interesting to listen to if you could get him talking. I was lucky to have the pleasure to spend quality time with him and will miss him very much at Stags events in the future.



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/15/2007 08:47:50 By Gaston Ruiz (1968)
I wrote in the " In their Memory thread ", but I will write again in Keno's..... What Keno ment to me......A GREAT BROTHER, a friend, someone I respected an like John S. said; if we could get him to talk , a super Guy, someone who was so laid back that you needed to check his pulse to make sure he was still with us, likeable , one to be respect for his knowledge ,someone that made us late 60' guys respect and love him ,on our fishing trip's what an enjoyable guy..., like Don H said he could not catch a fish on all of our trips , but his presence was felt at all times......Keno, I and the Brothers from the late days 68-69 specially will forever will miss you for who you were , and we will be forever gratefull to say we had the opportunity to have you as a part of our lives.. ...we will miss you but you will never be forgotten.... thanks for being part of our lives...me specially.....love Gastonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn ps. I will send you my YOYO :) :)-:) :) :)



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/15/2007 10:01:47 By Bob Injay
I was very sorry to read this news of the passing of Keno. I shares this with my father who spoke of Ken fondly and remembered him as a great player and fine individual at Gables.
I was blessed to meet Keno along with Terry and Jim while fishing last year. A gentelman and really all around nice guy. As Gus and Terry have said, he was always interested in coming around and meeting us younger guys and always had a nice word for all.
I was privileged to meet him and honored that we were able to share a few things together as brothers and friends who graced the halls and football fields of Gables High.
Thank you Keno and you will be remembered by us all.

Injay



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/16/2007 07:00:03 By Terrence W. Grant
Gentlemen and Ladies:

Hearing all these nice words for Keno brings up an important point...TDT/STAGS has many events (September BBQ for example)that you can meet or rekindle past relationships while that person/people are still with us. There are many brothers who read this site daily but for some reason they dont want to contribute( which is OK). By having BNO and the fishing trips I was able to get back in touch with Keno (who wasnt able to be at 2003.

I've been very impressed by the guys I've met from the 60's group and would like to know more of the 70's guys.

Terry



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/16/2007 07:58:47 By Jim Tormey
Living in Maryland it was impossible to travel to Florida for the memorial services for Keno but my mind is down there while the services are going on. I am sorry about that.

Thanks for all of you that replied to my message but I have one correction to Terry Grant's reply. I have 19 years of sobriety and enjoying life. Anyone out there that needs encouragement, know that it can be done.

To Sylvia Atwood, I think of you often but am not good at writing. I hope more people will reply, since Keno touched many lives.



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/17/2007 05:28:01 By Jim Kavney

Keno's "Celebration of Life".

I've known Keno for at least 60 years, and I found out some new things about him tonight. Keno was on the Gables swimming team as a freshman and won in several events. As a sophomore he moved on to football, and in his senior year he was a big part of the un-defeated 1956-57 team, which brought him his recognition as an All-City and All-State player. He was offered full scholarships to Florida State, Notre Dame and the University of Miami. Keno picked the U of M, where he played football and began a love affair with the U of M. Keno was a season ticket holder for as long as I can remember. Not only did he go to home games, but, at least in the later years, he attended two away games each year. He also attended baseball and basketball games, so it was not a big surprise to see Paul Dee, the head man at the U of M Athletic Department there speaking on behalf of U of M., recognizing Keno for his many generous contributions to the Athletic Department when it came time for a new weight room and other buildings.

Keno was very successful in business. He started at Keller Industries in the early sixties and worked his way up to management. He came into my real estate office one day asking my opinion on him getting into the real estate business. I, of course, was all for it. He asked a million questions and said he was thinking about making a switch. I told him if he got a real estate license, I would be happy to have him. But Keno had more lofty ideas than to work in residential real estate. He did get his license and went to work for Keyes Co. in their commercial department. He was there for some time and earned his broker's license, then went out on his own. He formed syndications and brought small strip-malls and acted as a trustee for his investors and did the management. Later he developed a good size industrial park just west of the turnpike at 152nd Street. It was also mentioned that Keno was a very successful investor in the Stock Market.

Keno had several Stags at his "Celebration of Life": Terry Grant and Dawn, John and Cookie O'Day, John Dannelly, Don Humphries, Kay Spitzer and myself. Most of us said a few words remembering our Friend and Brother for all that me meant to us.

At some point Keno became a traveler and traveled though the US, then the world. Some of the places I know included many European countries, Japan and Antarctica, but I'm sure I don't know the half of it.

Brother Keno was a big supporter of Stags. He was a regular at BNO and was on all three fishing trips to Belize, Flamingo and Costa Rica. He missed the 2003 Stags Reunion because of travel plans he had made well in advance. I'm only sorry he won't be here for the next one. Keno, as a kid and as a man, was always one you could trust and count on.
Keno, my Brother, you did us proud!

Jim



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/17/2007 07:54:23 By Terrence W. Grant
Jim:

Well Said..........

Terry



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/17/2007 09:11:03 By Gaston Ruiz (1968)
Yes we should be proud and honored, guys like Brother Keno are a special breed and we were so lucky to have him as one of us.



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/18/2007 07:44:19 By Terrence W. Grant
Jim T:

At Keno's celebration I sat with John "O's and he said he had called you..stay in touch with him ...he's at the track everyday all day so call at night.....we were discussing you, BD, Spiegle...Spiegle first STAG to have an aircondition car or was it that he had no back window...i cant remember maybe you can enlighten us...Cookie still looks like high school and John O still 300 pounds +...John still holding grudge against Kaylor cause he only guy to black ball him



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/18/2007 07:58:58 By
Not a very good turn out for a man so respected in our club. That hurts me deeply.



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/18/2007 08:44:08 By Gaston Ruiz (1968)
were you there?????????? Mr.I forgot my name......



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/18/2007 09:36:34 By Terrence W. Grant
Attendance was listed by Jim yesterday at 5:18pm..I too wish those that make statements identify themselves....

As everyone knows I shoot from the hip and if I need to make a statement I damn sure put my name behind it and dont particularly care who is offended by my thoughts. I stopped being a people pleaser many years ago.

Love & Kiss's to all the Brothers

T



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/18/2007 09:57:49 By Terrence W. Grant
Gastonnnn

I was so concerned by people posting and not identifying themselves....I forgot to tell you that I really missed you and John not being there. After all Keno was the only guy you could out fish in our many trips together.

It was a fantastic celebration, with fine food, drinks and allot of memories of both Keno and things of the past. I decided that night that was the way I wanted to go...I put it in my will for the event is to be in Naples near one of my fishing sites near a beach and then everyone to a restaurant for food and beverages.

It is 84 miles from your house so I'll send you $19 for gas to get your ass there. If I look down from heaven (yea) and your not there my friends with Ortega will.......

T



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/19/2007 09:46:42 By Don H.
Yes, what happened? It was in your backyard. Disappointing.



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/19/2007 05:29:58 By Gaston Ruiz (1968)
Don, if you are refering to me ...I e-mailed Jim, to let him know I was going to be out of town with my family....



Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/19/2007 06:12:33 By Jim Kavney
Hey, guys we had a great Stags turn out, yes it could have been better, but it was great as it was. I didn't measure by the numbers of Stags that were there, because this isn't about Stags, it's about Keno. The man and Stag he was, so if you want to whine about the event not being perfect, then don't do it were. This is about Keno, he wasn't perfect, but he was a hell of man who didn't see thing half empty and he was always was a hell of a Stag.

I'm sure there were many who couldn't make it and would have liked to be there. I bet they made a donation to the U of M Football Fund in Keno's name. Just in case anyone missed that info because it was on the "IN THEIR MEMORY" thread. Were it is.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the U of M Football Fund, 5821 San Amaro Dr., Coral Gables, FL, 33146, Attn: Chris Cohen. Fed ID 59-0624458.

Just do it!




Re: Keno McNeilPosted at 06/22/2007 10:44:31 By sylvia atwood
To: Jim Tormey: Did you get my e-mail? I sent it yesterday. sa






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