Preston A. McKeon

Preston Allen McKeon, 64, of Fountain, MN, died peacefully in his home on Monday, September 12, 2022, surrounded by his wife and two sons, after a fierce but brief battle against liver cancer.

Preston was born to James McKeon Sr. and Lois (Gilmartin) McKeon on November 25, 1957. He grew up east of Rochester, later moving to Byron with his family. He graduated from Byron High School in 1977. He attended Winona Area Technical Institute, completing a certificate in Sales & Management in 1980. Preston spent time traveling around the country, then headed to the West Coast where he decided to enlist in the Navy.

Preston enlisted in the U.S. Navy in June 1981. He completed basic training in San Diego, CA and was stationed at Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey and later Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida. Preston told his family and friends many stories of his experience as a navigator on the USS Suribachi ammunitions ship and the USS Charles F. Adams guided missile destroyer. The ships traveled as far west as Bahrain and Pakistan. He earned an expeditionary medal for his service in the Grenada military operation of 1983. He was honorably discharged in 1985 with the rank of Quartermaster Third Class.

After serving in the Navy, he continued his military service in the Army National Guard of Minnesota, enlisting in 1986. He was stationed out of Rochester and was honorably discharged in May 1989 with Specialist Rank.

Preston also worked many retail jobs. His family was a mainstay at Bilotti’s Italian Village, a popular restaurant in Rochester, and Preston worked at the restaurant during his high school years through the late 1990’s. Preston’s mother was known as “The Pizza Lady” there and Preston could bake a pizza nearly as good as his mother’s pies.

Family was Preston’s foundation in his adult years. His son, Joshua McKeon, was born in 1988. Preston persevered to work through the court system as a single father and finally achieved sole custody of his son in June 1994. He met his future wife, Kimberly Kramer, that very same day, and they were a couple ever since. They married in December 1995. Their son, Luke McKeon, was born soon thereafter in 1997.

Preston continued a variety of employment during the early years of their marriage, but his dedication to fatherhood guided him to become the family’s full-time stay at home parent. He was ever diligent in this parenting, meeting school bus schedules, attending parent-teacher conferences, driving to all sports practices and coaching various football and baseball teams. He was found at nearly every sporting event for both of his sons; if missing from one, it was only because he was attending the other son’s game.

Preston was baptized as an adult in 1995 at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Rochester, MN. He and Kim were married there later that same year, and the family attended all the years thereafter until moving to Fountain Township in 2016. During those church years, Preston was active as an assistant minister and usher.

Upon moving to rural Fountain, the couple named their homestead “Sugar Creek Ranch.” Preston enjoyed the lawn mowing, lumberjacking and land maintenance there. Kim retired in January 2022. Thereafter, Preston was often heard to tell her, “I enjoy being retired with you.”

Preston enjoyed travel. The McKeon family traveled throughout the U.S., visiting many National Parks and cities. They owned an RV, traveling across the country with it or just camping locally with friends. The family returned annually to St. Maarten for several years. Kim and Preston also traveled to Europe, Alaska and Hawaii.

Preston will always be remembered for his hospitality, engaging smile, warm hugs, good jokes, great stories and generosity. He was always eager to meet new friends and neighbors, and he remembered nearly everyone’s name. He remained a Christian throughout his life, wearing a medal with the inscription, “Be strong in the Lord, for his power is mighty” (Ephesians 6:10) right up until his death.   

Preston is survived by his wife Kim, sons Joshua (Janie) and Luke, father James McKeon Sr., siblings James McKeon Jr. (Kathy), John McKeon, Glenn (Brenda) McKeon, Mary (Tim) Hickey, and Lois (Mike) Sorenson, half-siblings Sean (Bawn) Kazos, Casey Kazos, Brad Kazos, Angie Kazos-Turner and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother Lois McKeon Kazos.

Memorial services for Preston will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 17, 2022 at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Wykoff, MN, with Pastor Michael Harman officiating. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 16th from 5-7 p.m. at Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Wykoff and will continue for one hour at the church prior to the service on Saturday.

Burial will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, September 20th at the Minnesota State Veteran’s Cemetery in Preston, MN.

Any monetary gifts can be offered to Olmsted Medical Center Foundation or Seasons Hospice. The family suggests the best way to honor Preston’s life is to practice ongoing kindness and love for your neighbor.

Online condolences may be left at Hindtfuneralhomes.com

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