Mark Keenen

(From Ulmer Funeral Home)

Mark Wayne Keenen went to be home with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, August 2, 2016 after a brief illness. He was born in Rogers, Arkansas, on January 13, 1956, to Gladys “Pat” Tompkins Keenen and Gerald Grant Keenen.

Mark married his high school sweetheart, Donna Lee Adams, on February 1, 1975. She survives. Mark is also survived by their three sons: Grant Russell Keenen and wife Heather of Prairie Grove, AR; Wayne Lee Keenen and wife Bethany of Carthage, MO; Kyle David Keenen and wife Megan of Shawnee, OK; and his precious granddaughter Bella Cate Keenen of Prairie Grove, AR. He is also survived by his mother, Pat Keenen; brother, David Keenen, both of Rogers, AR, as well as many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Mark was a loving husband to Donna for forty-one and a half years. They shared a love of traveling and enjoyed seeing God's creation throughout the United States along with a special 25th anniversary trip to Germany and a 40th anniversary trip to Ireland. He was a caring father to his three sons and taught them how to live and work by the Godly examples he set. His most recent joy in life was playing with Bella Cate and leading the music at church with her by his side.

Mark loved the Lord and served him as a faithful member of First Baptist Church, Carthage, MO. He helped in their newborn to two-year old nursery for the last 12 years, was the director of the Adult 7 Sunday School class where he gave weekly devotionals, and led the song service on Sunday nights. He also helped a sister church, Calvary Baptist, as their song leader on Sunday mornings for the last 8 years, where he set the tone for worship.

Mark often stated he was born a farmer and would die a farmer. He had a true love for the land and enjoyed growing wheat, corn and soybeans. One of his favorite things to do was to combine his crops. He also loved his animals and named many of his cows and bulls. He liked to talk to them and said they “talked” back to him as well.

Mark never knew a stranger and could talk to anyone. He often said a stranger was just a friend you hadn't met yet. He exemplified the scripture to love your neighbor as yourself and will be greatly missed by many whose lives he touched.

The family would like to give a special thank you to the nurses in the ICU department at Freeman Hospital as well as Mark's surgeons Dr. Carney and Dr. Baker for the wonderful and loving care they gave to our husband and dad and for the compassion they showed to our family.

Visitation will be held Friday night, August 5, 2016, at the First Baptist Church of Carthage, MO, from 6-8 p.m. The funeral service will also be at First Baptist Church on Saturday, August 6, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. under the direction of Ulmer Funeral Home. Burial will be at Fasken Cemetery in Carthage, MO. Online condolences may be sent to www.ulmerfh.com . Contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, Calvary Baptist Church, or to Gideon International in care of Ulmer Funeral Home.

Arrangements under the direction of Ulmer Funeral Home.