Ralph O. Keener, Sr.

Ralph Oliver Keener, Sr. was born August 22, 1948, in Guthrie Oklahoma. In 1966, he attended and graduated from Favor High School, an all-black high school. On August 30, 1966, at age 18, he married (Wilma Smith) and moved to Winfield, Kansas where he and his wife had four children (Junior, Toni, Chris, and Brad). He worked at the Winfield State Hospital and was a reserve officer for the Winfield Police Department for over 20 years. In 1987, he and his wife divorced, and he moved to Wichita to start a career working in the aircraft industry, Boeing aircraft. In 2011, he retired from Boeing, and he picked up a part-time job driving school buses for the local school district.

Ralph loved playing sports in high school. As a talented high school athlete, he continued his love for sports by coaching his kids during their early years of playing sports like football, basketball, soccer, and track. Ralph also took young people under his wing and acted as a mentor whenever needed. This love for sports and mentorship continued as he watched his grandchildren’s success in sports.

Throughout Ralph’s life, he never met a stranger; he treated everyone the same. He learned that trait from his mom, Ruth, who was always giving needed necessities away to others. It was also a trait that he would see modelled through his cousin Maggie in Winfield. Regardless of social status, background, ethnicity, or past, Ralph welcomed everyone with the brightest smile and open arms. There were times in his life when he didn't have much, so in remembering this, he helped others without hesitation.

Ralph’s main priority was the care of his immediate family, but if he considered you a friend, you were family. He celebrated with his family and friends in their successes and cried with them in their moments of sorrow. Ralph always pitched in where he could support those around him. He worked several jobs, at a time, to support his family. Wherever he would find an odd job that would support his family, he would take it. He would often joke about the TV show ‘In Living Color’ in which a family prided themselves on the number of jobs each of them had at one time.

He enjoyed hanging out with his family and friends, playing dominoes and other card games, and spending time with his grandchildren.

Ralph is preceded in death by his mother and father, Ruth and Elijah Smith and his baby brother, Nicholas Keener.

Those left to Cherish his memory, his sister, Sandy Crump of Midwest City, Oklahoma; brother, Welton Keener and his wife Esther of Guthrie, Oklahoma; son, Ralph Keener Jr; daughter, Toni Stephens and her spouse Terry Stephens all from Wichita, Kansas; son, Chris Keener and his wife Brandi Keener from Derby, Kansas; son, Craig Keener of Wichita, Kansas; host of nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great grandchildren, cousins, and friends. Ralph will be dearly missed by all.

Visitation: Thursday, July 21, 2021, from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm, with family present to greet from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Funeral: Friday, July 22, 2021, at 11:00 am, both at Smith Family Mortuary, 1415 North Rock Road, Derby, Kansas 67037. Interment: Saturday, July 24, 2021, at 1:00 pm at Union Hill Cemetery, Guthrie, Oklahoma.

Memorials have been established with HealthWell Foundation, Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay Relief, Via Christi Foundation, or Union Hill Cemetery.

Dinner will be at Cessna Activity Center, 2744 South George Washington Blvd., Wichita, KS from 2-6pm.