In Memory

Mike McKeon

Mike died on 4/15/1980

Two Grayson County men died Tuesday afternoon when their light plane crashed in a open field three miles northwest of Grayson County Airport.

Dead were Dennis Looney, 28, a Pottsboro farmer; and Mike McKeon, 30, a Denison architect.

Eyewitnesses said the single-engine Cessna C-160 was flying low toward the county airport when it clipped a lone utility line.  They said the plane nosedived, crashed and flipped.

An owner's manual was found next to the twisted cockpit opened to a section about the plane's emergency locator transmitter.

Mrs. Bart Lawrence, who lives with her husband in a mobile home about 25-yards from where the plane crashed, said she was outside burning trash when she heard a sound like a motorcycle crashing.  "I looked up and saw that."  she said as she pointed to the wreckage.

The plane was flipped onto its back and was twisted at the cockpit.  Its engine was about 10 feet away.

Mrs. Lawrence, who at first thought her husband was the pilot, summoned the Pottsboro Volunteer Fire Department and the Preston Volunteer Ambulance Service.  McKeon and Looney were prounced dead by Pottsboro Justice of the Peace Clarence Jones when the bodies arrived at Texoma Medical Center.

"I've known Mike for years." said Robbie Sholl, who lives near McKeon's home.  "He's always been such a good pilot."

Area residents said the plane had been flying low much of the afternoon.  One resident said he saw the plane land several times on the grass landing strip of McKeon Aviation Inc. located two miles east of the crash scene.

McKeon is the brother of Bill McKeon, ownere of McKeon Aviation.

Grayson County sheriff's deputies at the scene said the men were trapped in the wreckage about 15 minutes.  It was presumed both men died instantly.


Sheriff's reserve deputies guarded the crash scene overnight and turned it over Wednesday morning to investigators with the Federal Aviation Administration.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday in St. Mary's Catholic Church for Charles Michael "Mike" McKeon, 30, of Rt. 2, Denison.  Rev. Emil Slovacek of St. Patrick's Church in Denison will be celebrant and interment will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery under the direction of Dannel and Horton Funeral Home.

Born in Sherman, he was the son of Vincent W. McKeon Sr. and Bonnie Frances Evans McKeon.  He attended Sherman public schools, the University of Texas at Austin and Arlington, and was a registered architect.  He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and the American Institute of Architects.

He is survived by his parents and a broither, Bill McKeon, all of Rt. 2, Denison.

Rosary will be said at 7 p.m. Thursday at Dannel and Horton chapel, led by John LeBlanc.

Pallbearers will be M.F. Kusch, Alex Moser, Victor Quinn, Doyle Dobbins, Jimmy Kelley and Danny Russey.

The family will be at the Bill McKeon residence, Rt. 2, Denison.







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