On February 27th 2024, Charles Allen, ‘Al’ Keene, walked up to the 18th green of his life journey, tapped in for birdie, and passed away surrounded by his family in Kennewick WA at 77 years old following a brave fight with brain cancer.

Allen was born on April 14th, 1946 to Charles and Dorothy Keene of Seattle, Washington. He was the middle of three siblings, older sister Linda Keene and younger brother Robert ‘Skeeter’ Keene.

The Keene’s lived in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Seattle, where Allen would attend Cleveland High School, where he played baseball and excelled with the golf team. After graduating from Cleveland High School in the spring of 1964, Al would attend Olympic College in Bremerton WA.

In 1966, during the height of the Vietnam war, Allen would have his number called in the draft, upon which he enlisted in the United States Air Force in May of 1966, where Allen served as an Aircraft Mechanic.

Allen Keene was honorably discharged in March of 1970 with the rank of Airman 1st Class, and would settle in the state of Virginia for a short time before returning home to Seattle in 1975.

Following his time in the Air Force, Allen would embark on what would be a lifelong career in sales. He had a unique talent of relationship building that made him very successful, and his career spanned multiple industries. Allen had the ability to understand the heartbeat of the customer. He loved what he did so much, he worked right up until his cancer diagnosis. He often bragged “It’s not work when you’ve known your customers for 25 years and call them your friends.”

In 1978, Allen met Sally Jo Noble, in Seattle. After dating for a time, they would be married that year in Lake Tahoe Nevada. Allen and Sally went on to have three sons – Sean Riley, Ryan Charles, and Brady James. They celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary in September of 2023. Al and Sally also have numerous grandchildren.

Allen was an avid golfer and drag racing fan. As a young man he was well known in the Seattle drag racing community, and would often regale friends and family with wildly embellished and humorous stories of racing his mom’s Chevy Nova.

He would play golf his entire life, passing on his love for the game to his sons. On a Sunday afternoon, he was either playing golf, watching golf or watching ‘the drags’ on TV. Allen loved spending time with his family, friends, and grandchildren above anything else. He and Sally’s house had a revolving door on the weekends of family and friends stopping in for visits.

He was a man well loved who had a life well lived, and leaves behind a great void that will take time to heal.

Allen is preceded in death by his parents, Charles Keene and Dorothy Keene (Baker). He is survived by his Sister Linda Maletta (Keene) of Desert Aire, Robert ‘Skeeter’ Keene of Ellensburg, his wife Sally Keene (Noble), his sons Sean Keene of Kennewick, Ryan Keene of Kennewick & Brady Keene of Richland, his grandchildren Carson, Charlie, and Emily of Kennewick, and Landon, Acacia, and Leila of Pasco.

Al’s wishes were that no service be held, and that his ashes be “buried in a sand trap”. This spring Allen’s ashes will be buried in the west greenside bunker on the 14th hole at Canyon Lakes Golf Course, where he had been a member with his sons.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Allen’s name to the American Cancer Society. 

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