HUEY CLEVELAND KEENEY
1928-2017
Huey Cleveland Keeney, beloved husband, father, mentor and friend, passed away on Tuesday, the 28th of February 2017. Born on the 21st of August 1928, in Mt. Pleasant, TX to William Oliver and Montie Garrett Keeney, Huey attended Mt. Pleasant High School and Rice Institute (now Rice University) where he pursued a variety of interests, especially football.
Joining the Rice Owls football team in 1945 as a 17-year old freshman and playing with and against 25-year old WWII veterans, Huey played both ways, set long-time school records as a punter and defensive back, and served as a team co-captain his senior year. Twice, in 1946, Huey stood in his own team’s end zone with no to little wind at his back and punted the ball through the other team’s end zone – a still unheard of overall distance of 110 yards or more. His first punt was against Tulane and is reported to have traveled 85 yards in the air from the line of scrimmage and has been recorded in record books, including the Guiness Book of Sports Records, as the second longest punt ever in total distance and as either the longest or second longest punt ever in the air. His second punt was against Texas A&M, and it was reported in the next day’s newspaper that Rice coach Jess Neely said it was the only time in the history of A&M’s Kyle Field that, immediately after the punt, it was so silent that you could hear a pin drop in the stadium. From the glory of Rice’s January 1, 1947 Orange Bowl victory – where Huey punted an Orange Bowl record number of times and scored the game’s only touchdown on a 38-yard run in Rice’s 8-0 victory over Tennessee – to the honor of being selected Honorable Mention to the All-American team (1946) and three times to the All-Southwest Conference team (first team in 1946 and second team in 1945 and 1947), Huey sparkled with his quick feet and even quicker quips. As he aged, he lost his quick feet but he never lost his quick quips. Huey was inducted into Rice’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.
In 1949, Huey married the love of his life and wife of 52 years, Lucile Vennard Keeney. In the same year, Huey was drafted by the pros and ended up with the Cleveland Browns as its punter and starting safety, but suffered a career-ending injury in training camp just before playing his first pro game. Returning to Houston, Huey had a successful career for 50 years in the trucking business as an executive with, and later as a co-owner of, Herrin Transport, as an executive with McLean Freight to which Herrin Transport was sold, and as a longtime consultant for Coastal Transport. He and Lucile enjoyed affiliations with many organizations including Houston Country Club and St. Michael’s Catholic Church. Being an extrovert and a leader, Huey served as Past President of Rice University’s “R” Association, Past President of Briargrove School’s P.T.O. and Past Director of Houston Country Club. Huey was a wonderful, wise and caring husband and father who especially enjoyed hunting, golf and vacations with his family. Huey was a Red Room regular for years at Houston Country Club where he was known by his high school and college nickname of “Dog”.
Huey was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Lucile, his two brothers, William O. Keeney, Jr. and Luther Q. Keeney, and his two brothers-in-law, Wickliffe B. Vennard, Jr. and John C. Vennard. Huey is survived by his two sons, Huey C. Keeney, Jr. of Tyler, TX and Randolph V. Keeney (Sandy) of Houston, TX, by his five grandchildren, Randy Keeney, Jr. (Brooke) and Kimberly Wood (Jake) of Houston, TX, Catherine Keeney of Austin, TX, and Caitlin Keeney and Courtney Keeney of Lago Vista, TX, and by his great grandchildren, Abigail, Anna, Tyler and Andrew Keeney and James, Nathan and Audrey Wood, all of Houston, TX. Additional survivors include his second wife, Elizabeth C. Walter of Houston, TX, and several nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the wonderful and caring staff at Brookdale Senior Living –Tanglewood for the excellent care that they provided to Huey in its assisted living and memory care unit for the past 5-1/2 years.
The immediate family will gather for a private interment at Memorial Oaks Cemetery in Houston at a later date.
For those desiring, and in lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to the River Oaks Garden Club, 2503 Westheimer Rd., Houston, TX 77098; or a charity of one’s choice.