John Kelly Keane, Jr., peacefully passed away when he lost his third battle with cancer. His wife, Margaret; sons John, Brian, and Martin; daughter Molly; and stepsons Scott and Andy survive him. Classmates, friends, and business associates fondly remember him for his Irish wit, wry sense of humor, and sharp intellect. Although “Jack” had a casual and relaxed manner, there was no disguising his passion for life and adventure or his determination and desire to achieve outstanding results at West Point and in later life as a lawyer.
Jack was born in Riverdale, MD to John Kelly Keane and Ruth Pritchett Keane. His paternal family lived nearby, and Uncle Martin, a doctor, lived across the street. Jack’s father and another uncle, Ignatius Keane, were lawyers who had practiced together as members of Prince George’s County Bar Association since the 1930s. Jacks father’s untimely death from cancer when Jack was six left his uncle to carry on their legal practice. In later years, while Jack was attending Georgetown University Law Center and earning his juris doctorate degree, he was able to clerk part time for his uncle. Martin took on the role of a surrogate father to Jack until he, too, died at an early age.
Jack adapted easily to the rigors of Plebe year. His greatest challenge was comforting his mother, who sorely missed her only child. Though she encouraged him to leave West Point, this difficult situation eventually passed. Jack handled all of the challenges that West Point offered in academics, athletics, and military discipline with his characteristic, easygoing demeanor. Jack’s athletic ability was demonstrated in the gym as a member of the gymnastics team, and his intellect was evidenced in his play as a member of the bridge club. Jack cruised through academics and was on the dean’s list, but he always had time to help other classmates who were less talented in the classroom.
Upon graduation, Jack was assigned to the Corps of Engineers and, following the Basic Course, completed Airborne School. Jack held various positions, including company commander in the 19th Combat Engineer Battalion at Ft. Meade, MD. Jack was also selected to be a White House aide while he was on active duty, but he resigned his commission in 1963.
After graduating from Georgetown University Law Center in 1966, Jack was the law clerk to the Honorable Ralph W. Powers, Seventh Judicial Circuit of Maryland. In 1967, Jack entered private practice and engaged in general trial and appellate practice, principally in criminal, personal injury, construction, and planning and zoning law.
In March 1976, he became the people’s counsel for the state of Maryland. In that position, he was the public advocate in proceedings before federal and state agencies regulating the electric, gas, and telephone utilities. As the people’s counsel, Jack assumed a leadership role in the debate on open access in the natural gas industry. He successfully advocated far-reaching structural changes in the industry, an advocacy that culminated in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s series of orders regarding voluntary open access of natural gas transportation pipelines.
As people’s counsel, Jack also initiated Maryland’s successful challenge of the State of Louisiana’s First Use Tax in the Supreme Court of the United States. His office was involved in 30 major rate cases involving major utilities in Maryland and the District of Columbia, and Jack personally tried a dozen of those cases and supervised the trials of the remaining cases.
Jack and his office handled over 500 docketed cases before such bodies as the Federal Power Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Interstate Commerce Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission.
Jack took great pride in his position as people’s counsel and the responsibilities of that office. He served with great distinction and, based on his record of accomplishments from 1976 through 1985, the people of Maryland could hardly have asked for a more conscientious and effective advocate.
In 1985, Jack joined Washington Gas Light Company as vice president in the office of the general counsel. He was elected to vice president and general counsel in 1990 and then to senior vice president and general counsel in 1993. Jack retired in January 2002 after 16 years of distinguished service.
Following his retirement, Jack and Margaret moved to Florida to find their dream house in the sun, where he could indulge his passion for golf and boating and be closer to his children. His retirement plans were prematurely ended when cancer was diagnosed in 2003.
Jack was an active member of many professional and civic organizations and served on the boards of the Prince George’s Hospital Foundation, the DC Council for Court Excellence, and the Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Washington, DC. He was a member of the American Bar Association; the Maryland State Bar Association; the Washington, DC, Bar; and the Energy Bar Association. Jack’s career as a lawyer took him to national prominence, but he always cherished his roots in the Prince George’s County Bar Association.
His love for West Point and the many relationships he developed as a cadet remained strong to the end. Jack was well known and well liked, and he will be missed by his family, classmates, many friends, and associates.
A companymate, with cousin Jim Keane and family