Glenn D. Keneipp

CARBONDALE - On Monday, February 20, 2023, Glenn D. Keneipp passed away at the age of 92 from the effects of Mesothelioma. Glenn was born on Sunday, October 12, 1930, on Park St., Harrisburg, Illinois to Esco and Evelyn Keneipp. He grew up in Harrisburg surrounded by a large extended family and with his younger sister Marlene Keneipp Smith. He graduated from Harrisburg High School and then went to the Pass Christian Merchant Marine preparatory school in Mississippi before moving to Great Neck, New York to attend the Kings Point, United States Merchant Marine Academy. He graduated in 1952 with a degree in Marine Engineering. He was the first in his family to graduate from college.

After graduation he went to sea on the merchant ship, Thomas Lykes. Returning home for a visit after sailing off the shores of Japan and Korea, he answered a knock at his door only to discover an FBI agent sent to arrest him for dodging the draft. Unknown to him, a draft notice had been sent some weeks before. An understanding judge was able to correct the error once he realized he’d been out to sea at the time. He was then drafted into the Navy as a Lieutenant JG. His first ship that he was assigned to was the minesweeper USS Incredible; the minesweepers were the only naval ships to be fired upon during the Korean conflict. He then served on the USS Cornell Victory and finished his term in the Navy on the USS Klondike.

On one of his visits home to Harrisburg he began dating Nora Jo Keneipp (d. 1993). They exchanged marriage vows in Long Beach, California at the US Naval Chapel on June 9, 1954. They had two children, Terrie Jo Keneipp Hamtak, and Thomas “Dan” Keneipp.

In 1956, he left the Navy and began a career with the Westinghouse Electric Corporation. He worked on and built power plants both domestically and internationally, with long term projects in Spain and Egypt. He used the time overseas to explore neighboring countries and made many lifelong friends. He retired in 1994, and moved back to Southern Illinois, Carbondale.

He met Gail Kearns West in Boulder City, Nevada, and they were married October 14, 1994. Together they have enjoyed their retirement. They took trips to Europe and Africa, and spent time going to visit extended family. Glenn also kept busy with a huge garden (he shared many vegetables with the neighbors), he and Gail canned pickles and made jelly and jam, he had a large pond with catfish, bass and bluegill, and, at night, he would utilize that time as an “Expert” HAM radio operator to contact people all over the world. His was a life well lived.

He is survived by his wife, Gail Keneipp, his sister, Marlene Smith, his children, Terrie Jo Hamtak (Gary), Dan Keneipp (Beth), and his stepdaughter Julia Johnson. His grandchildren: Eric Keneipp (Michelle), Christina Keneipp, Matthew Hamtak (Heather), Kyle Hamtak (Kim), Nathen Johnson (Kendra), MaryGail Johnson (Mychal) and Brendan Johnson. His great grandchildren: Marissa and Leila Keneipp, Wesley and Brooklyn Hamtak, Kylynn and Kaysyn Hamtak and Roman Johnson.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00pm on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at Meredith Funeral Home in Carbondale. Burial will follow in Sunset Lawn Cemetery in Harrisburg with Military Rites. Visitation will be from 10:00am until 12:00pm at the funeral home on Saturday.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Glenn's name to the American Cancer Society and will be accepted at the funeral home.

To leave a story or memory of Glenn, visit www.meredithfh.com