James Keenan

Old Lyme — James G. “Tim” Keenan passed away May 11, 2019. He was born Jan. 6, 1925, in Elizabeth, N.J., to James and Daisy Keenan. In his junior year of high school, he moved to Old Lyme, where he would meet the love of his life, Alouise Bramble. They remained lifelong residents and would eventually be voted Citizens of the Year in Old Lyme.

After playing football for and graduating from Old Lyme High School, Tim enlisted in the Army, where he proudly served his country with distinction as a paratrooper in the 17th Airborne Division, 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

During his first combat jump in Austria on Jan. 4, 1945, he and his fellow soldiers were captured by German forces and became prisoners of war at the camp in Bad Orb, Germany. Ironically, the notification of his capture was received via Western Union in his hometown and typed by a clerk who would become his future wife. Tim was liberated by Allied forces in April 1945.

After his liberation, Tim returned to civilian life and started his career with the U.S. Postal Service, where he became the assistant postmaster. He retired in 1975, but he continued to do various jobs to keep busy, all that involved touching people’s lives in many ways.

He married his love Feb. 18, 1961, and together they served for years as regional representatives in the American Field Service foreign student exchange program. Although they never had children of their own, they changed the lives of many young people from all over the world and were affectionately known as “Mom” and “Dad.”

Tim will be remembered as an avid movie buff, able to recite all the names of every actor and characters they portrayed, especially those movies from the 1930s and ’40s. He loved foreign films and the jazz and big band music genres from a young age and made many trips to New York City to enjoy them.

As a true “blue” New York Giants fan, many summer vacations were spent at the training camp on Long Island. Draft Day was better than Christmas to Tim, and each year he watched in hopes for a quality linebacker.

He was truly loved by everyone he met, especially his sisters, Ruth Bennett, Dorothy Kotzan and Geraldine Murtz, who predeceased him, as well as his many nieces and nephews in the Murtz, Kotzan, King and Bramble families.

Calling hours will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 17, 2019, at Fulton-Theroux Funeral Home, 13 Beckwith Lane, Old Lyme. A graveside service will take place at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, May 18, 2019, at Duck River Cemetery, Old Lyme.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Old Lyme Ambulance Association, 14 Cross Lane, Old Lyme, CT 06371, or the Old Lyme Chapter of the American Legion, 52 Lyme St., Old Lyme, CT. 06371.

Please visit www.fultontherouxoldlyme.com for photos, tributes, directions, and more service information.