Houston E. “Skip” Keen

A Celebration of Life for Houston E. “Skip” Keen, 72, Lawrence, will be held 1:00 p.m., Sunday, December 19, 2021, at Stony Point Hall, 1514 N. 600 Road, Baldwin City, Kansas 66006. Houston passed away on Thursday, November 11, 2021, at his home after a long 5-year battle with cancer.

Houston was born on August 20, 1949, in Esbon, KS, the son of Houston and Irma Elizabeth (Rogers) Keen.

Skip’s hobbies included competitive bowling, large scale gardening and canning salsa, rebuilding old cars, and trucks, and grilling, and loved to watch Royals Baseball.

In Skips early life he moved to McPherson, KS, as a young boy and then to Lawrence, KS in the late 50’s. He graduated from Lawrence High School in 1967.

After high school, he worked as an electrician for Fleetwood Mobile Homes until the early 70’s. He then went to work for K-Mart Distribution as an electrician until the late 80’s where he met his wife, Carol.

Skip married Carol L. Bigsby Wooderson on April 20, 1985, in Topeka, KS, at Cedar Crest, the governors home. They began a successful property management company, owning apartments near KU campus and houses in Lawrence.

In 1986 they became parents for the first time to a daughter and again in 1991 to a son. Skip enjoyed watching his kids show animals all over the country and Canada. He never missed an opportunity to cheer them on.

Skip was preceded in death by his parents, Houston E. Keen and Irma Elizabeth Keen, sister, Jan Ellen Cookson and Niece, Connie Jean Jantz.

Skip is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Carol L. Keen, daughter, Kalli (Kevin) Keen Ehrhardt, Baldwin, MD, son, Quinton Keen, Lawrence, KS, two granddaughters, Bristol Lynn, and Blakely, Ehrhardt, MD who he adored and loved, sister, Lee Lasley, Hillsboro, OR, five nephews, and many great nieces and nephews.

Skip will mostly be remembered for being a devoted husband, beloved father and #1 papa.
Memorial contributions may be made in Houston’s name to University of Kansas Health System Cancer Center and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.