Advertisement

‘Keary’s Cooker’ pays homage to Luana fire department, community supporter

Error message

  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 133 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to get property 'settings' of non-object in _simpleads_adgroup_settings() (line 343 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 157 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in include() (line 24 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/templates/simpleads_ajax_call.tpl.php).

Keary Keehner

Justin Grove (left), Scott Torkelson, Derrick Eilers and Matt Baade stand with the refurbished “Keary’s Cooker.” The grill was made by former Luana firefighter and long-time department and community supporter Keary Keehner, who passed away in 2021, then restored by the firefighters in his honor. (Photo by Audrey Posten)

By Audrey Posten, Times-Register

 

“Keary Keehner was about friends and fun, and barbecue was how he did it,” according to Justin Grove.

 

Keehner, a former firefighter and long-time supporter of the Luana fire department and community, even offered up his own cooker for events like Luana Daze and the department’s annual pork loin dinner.

 

“When it came to Luana Daze or any of the fundraisers, he’d always come through the line and you’d always see him giving a hand,” recalled Scott Torkelson.

 

“We’d give them their meal for free, and he’d always turn it down,” Grove added. “That’s the way he was.”

 

It was fitting that, after Keehner passed away in February 2021, Grove, Torkelson and members of the fire department were honored to accept a grill Keehner had built when the family offered it.

 

“It was one of the first ones he restored,” Grove said. “We were more than happy to take on the project.”

 

Grove estimated the cooker to be at least 10 years old, and it was admittedly in rough shape. So he, Torkelson, fellow firefighter Derrick Eilers and fire chief Matt Baade set to work developing ideas for its refurbishment. 

 

They enlisted the help of Casey Flack of Flack Portable Welding and Repair, LLC, for welding, trailer work and signs. Randy Richard with R and R Auto painted the trailer and components and helped put it all together. The wheels and tires came from Smitty’s and thermometers from Fisk Farm and Home.

 

“It was taken down to the axel and built back up from there,” Grove shared. “We all had our hand in ideas, and Casey was pretty instrumental in that. He had the foresight and vision.”

 

Torkelson said the trailer was modified to sit lower, “for us short guys. We also got a big, heavy duty grate to work inside of it. The big part was to get the charcoal trailer so it would come out and not fall out and have to be supported.”

 

Baade guessed it took the group about a year to figure out how they wanted the grill and other components to look. Actual work took around a month and a half.

 

The project was completed in time for Luana Daze in late August, making an appearance in the parade and serving up rib eyes throughout the weekend.

 

“It was nice for me to be able to pull it, paying a little homage to Keary,” said Torkelson.

 

Keehner was a mainstay at Luana Daze, particularly the tractor pull, so “everybody, as soon as they saw it, knew what it meant to, not just us, but everyone in the community,” Grove added. “To pay respect to him like this, and for the generosity of that family to us, it was only natural. It was a project that needed to be done.” 

 

After Keehner’s 2021 passing, Torkelson said the firemen rang a bell outside the station in his honor. Refurbishing—and then using—“Keary’s Cooker” was closure for them all.

 

“It said, ‘We now have a piece of him with us forever.’ People are remembering him and paying respect every year when we get it out for two or three times,” Torkelson reflected.

 

Between Luana Daze and the September pork loin dinner, the firefighters estimate the grill has cooked about 400 pounds of meat since its refurbishment.

 

Every use brings the department together, Torkelson said.

 

“It brings the community together,” added Grove. “The community gels around us at the same time.”

 

What would Keehner say, seeing it all come together?

 

“He’d say ‘stop it,’” Grove joked. “He was very humble and did not want the recognition. That was Keary Keehner.”

Rate this article: 
No votes yet