Gertrude Keegan

Gertrude L. (nee Farrell) Keegan of Wynnewood died peacefully on April 13, 2015 surrounded by family and devoted caregivers at Saint Joseph Villa in Flourtown, PA, where she had lived and been lovingly cared for since 2008.



At age 104, she was the beloved wife of the late Edward J. Keegan, Sr. and she is survived by her six children, Edward J. Keegan, Jr. (Patricia) of Fort Myers Beach, FL, and Bala Cynwyd, PA, Reverend Terence J. Keegan, O.P. of Providence, RI, William J. Keegan (Mary Ann) of Jacksonville, FL, Claire K. Matthews of Essex, CT, James F. Keegan (Maryann) of Westwood, NJ, and Mary Ellen Keyser (H. Nelson III) of Bala Cynwyd, PA.



Gertrude was the sister of James Farrell and Evelyn Healy and the late Paul Farrell, Maybelle Farrell, and Claire Greene. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren, Edward J. Keegan III (Maryann), Elizabeth Martine Keegan, Michael Keegan (J.Z.), William Keegan, Jr. (Michele), Erin Fields (J), Kevin Keegan, David Keegan, Trish Jayaseelan (Dhinu), Meighan Matthews (Steve Potter), Brendan Matthews (Virginia), Maura Mauch (Chris), Cristin Keegan, H. Nelson Keyser IV (Angela), Matthew Keyser and Elizabeth Keyser. She was predeceased by her beloved granddaughter, Cathy Keegan. She also had 19 great-grandchildren, Edward, Natalie, Ryan, Jack, Rainey, William, and Andrew Keegan, Julian and Quinn Fields, Luke Jayaseelan, Phineas and Willa Potter, Arlo and Ziggy Matthews, Alexa, Taryn and CJ Mauch, and Nelson and Cecilia Keyser. She had many loving nieces and nephews among several generations.



Born on June 18, 1910 to Mary I. (Devlin) Farrell and James A. Farrell, she was the first girl and second of six children. In 1928, she graduated with distinction from St. Mary's Academy in Providence, RI and worked as a private secretary for United Wire until she married and moved to Pittsfield, MA in 1936. She moved often, following her husband's corporate management career and creating beautiful homes for her growing family.



A native of the Ocean State, she was a lover of the sea all of her life joining her family on frequent trips to the Rhode Island beaches. As she raised her children in nearby Massachusetts, she always looked forward to the brief periods each year when she could return to her beloved seashore. Later in life, while living in Pennsylvania, she enjoyed the opportunity to spend entire summers in Ocean City, New Jersey, where she took long daily walks along the beaches in the Gardens on the island's north end.



A devout Catholic, Gertrude was active in the many parishes in which she lived, notably St. Pius in Providence, RI, Immaculate Conception and St. Thomas in West Springfield, MA, Christ the King in Cincinnati, OH, St. Laurence, in Highland Park and St. Margaret in Narberth, PA. She sang in several church choirs, was a member of the Daughters of Isabella, Sodality, Rosary and Altar Guilds.



Gertrude loved music, played the piano and the ukulele. She enjoyed all kinds of card games, belonged to a number of Bridge clubs, played Cribbage, Boggle, Scrabble and she completed crossword puzzles well into her 100's.



Relatives and friends are invited to her viewing Saturday, April 25, 2015, 10:00

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11:45 AM, St. Matthias Church, 128 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, PA and to her Funeral Mass at 12 Noon. Interment immediately following at Calvary Cemetery.



In grateful appreciation of the devoted and loving care that Gertrude received, her family requests that, in lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory be made to St. Joseph Villa, 110 W. Wissahickon Avenue, Flourtown, PA 19031.

Visitation

Saturday, April 25, 2015 10:00 AM - 11:45 AM
St. Matthias Church
128 Bryn Mawr Avenue Bala Cynwyd 19004, United States