Meet Funeral Director Keenan Knopke

Keenan Knopke is proud that he works for a funeral home and cemetery that is not publicly traded. “We do what is right for the customers and the employees,” says Keenan, making the point that the independently owned and family operated company does not have to put shareholders first. As president and CEO of Curlew Hills Memory Gardens, Keenan can concentrate on what he finds satisfying about such work: “You get to do special things for families at a very difficult time in their lives.”

Keenan and his brother and sister went through some confusion about their own mother’s arrangements when she died, which she had stated to each of them – but differently. He knows from experience what it is like to be grieving and having to negotiate the complexities of family dynamics and the logistical matters around funerals.

The offspring grew up in the business – their family owned a funeral home and cemetery in Tampa. Both boys stayed in the business and went to work for the company that bought them out after their dad retired. Keenan stayed with that company for 19 years, then joined the much smaller and independently owned Curlew Hills.

Curlew Hills resides on over 30 acres in upper Pinellas County that was once a citrus grove and with its five lakes, abundant bird life, and more than 1,000 trees, is considered to be one of the prettiest in Florida. Answering a strong need in the community, a part of the cemetery has been converted into a cemetery for pets, which opens this summer. With a dog he and his wife rescued, six cats and one parrot living at home, Keenan also understands people’s attachment to their pets.

Keenan and his wife have two daughters, who are attending college. For fun, the couple beach, fish, and visit the Keys in their 23-foot power boat. At home, they enjoy growing orchids and assisting the plants in blooming more frequently than is traditional.