Martha Kathryn Pendleton Keeney

Martha Kathryn Mimi Pendleton Keeney, 87, of Owensboro, died Monday, September 1, 2003 at Hermitage Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The Christian County native was a daughter of the late William Bacon and Edna Mae Pendleton. At age 15 she enrolled in Bethel Womens College in Hopkinsville, KY and majored in Home Economics. She then went to Western Kentucky State Teachers College, where she received her teaching certificate, thus beginning her teaching career of 50 years. She began teaching in the Christian County school system. With her move to Owensboro she concentrated on the kindergarten level and taught at the private schools of Tumbling Blocks, First Christian Church, and the Wesleyan Heights and Kirk Memorial United Methodist Churches.

Married to the Rev. Jack E. Keeney, who died in 1985, she was active in the United Methodist Churches of Woodson Chapel, Peals Chapel, Hemitite and Sardis in the Hopkinsville District and Providence, Trinity, Kirk Memorial, and Thruston in the Owensboro District. She was currently a member of Settle Memorial United Methodist Church.

She was insturmental in forming the Owensboro Civinette Club, and upon the admittance of women to the service organization of Civitan she became a charter member of the Daviess County Civitan Club. She served at every level of the club, including the position of Lt. Governor of the Kentucky District. Later, she joined the Owensboro (Noon) Civitan Club and was currently a lifetime charter member of the recently formed club.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Jane and Derror Head, two granddaughters, Jamie Lanham and Joni Chism, a grandson, Jarrod Lanham, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren, all of Owensboro, a sister, Charlene Murphy of Hopkinsville and a brother, Bob Pendleton of Port Orange, FL.

Services are 4 p.m. Thursday at Glenn Funeral Home, where visitation will be from 4 until 8 p.m. Wednesday and after 11 a.m. Thursday. Entombment will be in Owensboro Memorial Gardens Mausoleum.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Jack E. Keeney Special Education Scholarship Fund at Brescia University.