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Keenan died at Fletcher Allen Hospital in Burlington, Vt. He is survived by children Clarke Keenan, and his wife, Cathie, and Jonathan Keenan, and his wife, Kathleen, and two granddaughters.
Keenan was highly regarded by his colleagues for promoting ethics and integrity throughout the pest control industry and serving as a mentor not only to his employees, but to others throughout the industry.
“I think that my father saw the industry on a continuum of getting stronger and more ethical and becoming better service providers,” said Clarke Keenan, who now serves as president of Waltham Services. “I think he would like to see the industry continue on that path. I know that he was happy with the progress of NPMA the last 10 years or so.”
Richard Keenan graduated from Norwich University in 1947 and joined Waltham Chemical Co., that same year. He soon thereafter became a partner with Bart Eldredge, who was NPCA’s fourth president. In 1963, Keenan, then vice-president, entered into a buyout agreement with Eldredge.
Clarke Keenan joined the company in 1963 on a part-time basis, and then came on board full-time in 1972. He and his father worked together until 1994. “What I admired about the way my dad ran the business was his honesty and integrity. He was very fair with people, and people trusted him,” Clarke Keenan said.
Richard Berman, longtime technical director, Waltham Services, agreed. “Even when others might suggest bending a little bit to capture business, he resisted and stayed true to his ethics and honor,” Berman said. “We have always succeeded or failed on the merits. That dedication to honor and ethics continues to this day under Clarke Keenan's leadership.”
Berman also experienced first-hand what a valuable mentor Richard Keenan could be. “As I started to write memos and letters to customers in the early years, he scanned most communications before they went out from the company. I would get my written notes and letters returned with mistakes and errors all marked up in red ink, like I was still in school,” Berman recalled. “Richard Keenan taught me how to think and write, making me a better person in the process. Eventually I learned to write in his style and needed no censorship.”
In addition to leading Waltham Services, Richard Keenan served as director of Copesan Services from 1968 to 1981 and was its president from 1972 to 1976.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Friends of Norwich University Library, 158 Harmon Drive, Northfield, VT 05663.