James Franklin Keene

James Franklin Keene, a pioneer resident of St. Lucie County, died June 23, 2006 in Dade City, Florida. He was 86. James was born April 16, 1920 in Jacksonville, Florida and moved to Ft. Pierce in 1923 where the Keen family had been established since 1888 along the Indian River. James was proud of his heritage and was the family historian, tracing his family roots in Florida back to the early 1840’s before Florida was a state.James grew up in Ft. Pierce during the depression years and worked with his family in citrus and dairy farming. Ft. Pierce schools provided his education. James enjoyed traveling and camping; especially when it involved reunions of the entire Keen family and in-laws where spirited discussions on political and national events could always be heard.After the attack on Pearl Harbor, James and his twin brother Robert enlisted in the military: James in the Navy and Robert in the Army. James served on the USS Wilson in the South Pacific, taking part in the Battle of Guadalcanal, Wake Island, Guam and many other land, sea and aerial engagements against the enemy. James survived a kamikaze attack when the enemy plane was shot down and hit the water 75 yards from the ship but skipped across the water hitting the ship. A 500 lb. bomb penetrated the ship’s hull at the waterline near his station but failed to explode. His ship was part of the task force that perfected nighttime battle strategies that, up until then, the Japanese had the upper hand in ship-to-ship sea battles during the night. By the end of the war James was highly decorated with 11 battle stars. After WWII James stayed in touch with his former shipmates and attended their reunions.After the war James continued in agriculture and, along with his brother, bought land west of Ft. Pierce for farming tomatoes. His career took another turn when he joined Southern Bell Telephone Company and worked there for 35 years until his retirement. Through those years, he recalled when the Ft. Pierce phone system was so small you could tell the operator whom you wanted to call and be connected.He was preceded in death by his parents, George A. and Lois Marie Keen, his twin brother Robert and his wife of 49 years, Dorothy Elaine (Waldron). His oldest grandson, Brian, was killed in an auto accident May 21, 2006. He is survived by his children: James F. Keene, Jr. of Fort Pierce, Robert J. Keene of Fort Pierce, Kathryn A. Butcher of Fort Pierce, Lois M. Keene of Orlando, Kevin S. Keene of Homosassa and 7 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. His surviving brothers and sisters are David Keen of Stuart, George E. Keen of Blairsville, Georgia, Martha McManus of Ft. Pierce, Doris Odom of Ft. Pierce and Elizabeth Moore of Kissimmee.