John Robert Keenoy, age 56, of Shelbyville, died Friday, Sept. 22.
With so many titles to name, he was always a leader and friend. John, son of John and Kathie, grew up in the small town of St. John’s, where he and his brother Bill played football, basketball and baseball. He earned a scholarship to play football at Michigan State University where he spent his first two years before transferring to Central Michigan University.
At CMU, he met the love of his life, basketball player Missy. They would end up getting married in 1993 and moving to Kentwood, where he started his career as a teacher, coach and eventually a principal. He spent all 25+ years working at eight different schools across the entire Kentwood school district dedicated to kids and the staff he worked with.
He and Missy would have two kids of their own, John and Mackenzie. He was a proud and involved father whom you would see at every single one of their sporting events throughout their entire lives. John was also an extremely proud grandfather to Josie and would often say it is his new favorite title.
John could often be found spending time with his friends on the golf course, traveling the country to watch his two children both compete in athletics, with his family on the boat in Gun Lake, or finding a new recipe on YouTube to test out.
He and Missy were married for 30 years and they were each other’s person.John R. Keenoy will be welcoming his newest grandchild, John in January where he will continue the John Keenoy legacy.
He is survived by his wife, Melissa, children John (Alyssa) and Mackenzie, father John, stepmother Cheryl, stepfather Jim Woelfel, mother and father in law Stephen and Nancy Duczynski, siblings Bill (Lisa), David (Jada), Dale (Rachel), Scott (Tracy), Paulette, brother in law, Stephen, 11 nieces and nephews, and granddaughter Josie.
He was preceded in death by his mother Kathie Woelfel.
The family will greet visitors from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29, at the Stroo Funeral Home, 1095 68th St., SE, Grand Rapids; and from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at Kentwood Community Church. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at Kentwood Community Church, 1200 60th St. SE.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Streams of Hope/Streams, an organization helping underprivileged families in the Kentwood community.
