St. George, UT - Phillip Keith Keener, age 89, passed away on Thursday, September 22, 2011 in St. George, Utah. He was born on January 25, 1922 in Fredonia, Kansas to Kenneth and Margaret Brown Keener. He married Evelyn M. Triplett Keener in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 15, 1959.

Phil was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. He attended Kansas City schools. He studied geology at Long Beach California College and also Colorado School of Mines.

Phillip joined the US Marines at the age of 18. He took basic training at Camp Pendleton in California. He was assigned with a small company of Marines to US Phoenix. He was on board in Pearl Harbor during the December 7 ^th , 1941 attack. Later he was in the second wave landing on Iwo Jima. He was wounded and recovered. He was later assigned to various South Pacific islands. He served six years and was honorably discharged in San Francisco.

Phil joined Chevron Research Corporation and retired after 30 years in La Habra, California Phil and Evelyn then relocated to St. George, Utah.

He is survived by his wife, Evelyn and son, Keith Keener of Alexandria, Virginia.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, October 7, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at The Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, 611 North 2450 East, St. George, Utah. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, (435) 673-4221.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to The Veterans Nursing Home currently being built in Ivins, Utah. Please mail donations to: Utah Department of Veterans Affairs, 550 Foothill Dr., Suite #202, Salt Lake City, UT, 84158-0897, and please note to direct donations to the VA Nursing Home in Ivins, Utah.