John B. McKeon, 61, of South Bristol, died peacefully on the morning of Dec. 19 with loving family at his side. Fiercely optimistic in the face of daunting medical odds, he battled a rare form of cancer, multiple myeloma, for four years. His hopeful spirit resonates throughout a patient diary he wrote for the Huntsman Cancer Institute, found online at http://www.fightmyeloma.org.
Raised on an organic dairy farm in Ridgefield, Conn., John grew up with a strong sense for responsible stewardship of the earth. He loved the outdoors, both on and off the coast of his adopted home state of Maine, exploring inlets and islands by boat and hiking many of its unspoiled trails.
John was known for his adventurous spirit, positive attitude, quirky sense of humor, passion for maps, and his unwavering fondness for ice cream. A proud father who shared his enthusiasm for boating, hiking, skiing, travel and photography with his family, he lived a full and rich life. A natural storyteller and teacher, John devoted selfless energy toward his son’s commitment to the Boy Scouts of America.
He graduated from Johns Hopkins University, completed a masters degree in geology at the University of Maine, and was awarded a doctoral degree in geology from Ohio State University. After graduation, John began a professional career at Bendix Aerospace Systems in Ann Arbor before accepting a position at the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan. He then worked as a remote sensing geoscientist for Gulf Oil Corporation in Pittsburgh, Penn. before an opportunity with The Atlantic Richfield Company brought the McKeon family to Plano, Tex. for the next 21 years. John pioneered the use of computer satellite technology at Spot Image Corporation and Earth Resource Mapping and broadened the scope of his efforts as Alto Research Technology’s marketing director.
Ever the volunteer, John became active in the local community upon relocating to Maine with his wife in 2004. As a member of the South Bristol Comprehensive Planning Committee, he designed detailed maps for the town’s upcoming Comprehensive Plan Report. John was also an enthusiastic committee chair for the annual Lawn Party and Auction at St. Andrew’s Church. The Damariscotta River Association was lucky, as well, to have John as a board member, trail-tamer, and member of the Lands Committee. He left a remarkable legacy in the form of the recently published “Small Craft Explorers’ Map and Guide to the Damariscotta River Estuary.”
John is survived by his courageous wife and best friend, Carolyn; son, Andrew of Pittsburgh, Penn.; daughter, Joanna of Chicago, Ill.; sisters, Louise Belt of St. Louis, Mo., Jessie Cosnard and husband Jean-Pierre of Jugon, France, Katherine Bailly and husband Jean-Pierre of Mortefontaine, France, and Sheila Schwartzburg and husband Toby of Berkeley, Cal.; brothers, Daniel McKeon of New Fairfield, Conn., and Denis McKeon and wife Monica of Foster City, Cal.; in addition to scores of loving cousins, nieces and nephews.
Service to honor John’s memory 10 a.m., Mon., Dec. 29 at St. Andrew’s Church, Newcastle.
Those wishing to commemorate John’s life may make a donation to the Damariscotta River Association, P.O. Box 333, Damariscotta, ME 04543 or to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, (www.multiplemyeloma.org).
Arrangements under the direction of the Strong Funeral Home and Cremation Center include a webpage designated for personal remembrances of John (http://www.strongfuneralhome.com).