Mary Ann Keesee

Born Dec. 7, 1952, she devoted her 73 years to a life of helping others and being a good and faithful servant to the Lord.

Mary was the beloved daughter of Samuel F. and Kathryn (Cassie) Maddox Keesee. She was preceded in death by both of her parents and sister, Brenda K. Humphrey. Mary leaves behind five loving sisters, Carolyn Fitzgerald (Wayne), Helen Keesee, Nancy Navarre (Terry), and Elizabeth (Libby) Keesee, and one loving brother, Richard Keesee (Donna), and many nieces and nephews.

Although Mary spent many years working in the business world (TPS and GE), she retired and her most important role was being the primary caregiver to our beloved mother. After our mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and suffered a major stroke in 2011, Mary cared for our mother and really extended our mother’s life for another 15 years, all for which we are most grateful.

A lover of nature and the earth, she possessed a green thumb that she inherited from her mother and grandmother. There was no flowering plant, bush, or tree that Mary could not identify and explain how to care for. In the spring, one of Mary’s favorite stores was Lowe’s and their gardening section.

Her love of her pets and animals in general was boundless. No stray animal ever came to her home that was not immediately fed, befriended, named, and eventually became a part of her family. Her cats Woolen and Rowdy are wondering where their mother is and already feel her absence. Mary’s love of animals was rivaled only by her sister, Brenda, who also befriended friendly and feral cats at her home.

Mary possessed a curious nature about all things, also inherited from her mother. She loved reading about history, politics, world happenings, and especially what was going on in her siblings’ lives. You could be assured when talking to Mary that her interest was not a passive interest in you, but a concentrated interest in your words. The 5 W’s certainly applied to Mary—who, what, when, why, and where, and how—in our conversations. She always offered a kind word and good advice to us all. That will surely be missed.

Mary enjoyed writing from an early age. She had hopes one day of having some of her work read by others. She loved libraries where there was an endless choice of “words” to be read. She loved reading the works of Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Kahlil Gibran, and some of Barbara Kingsolver’s works (The Poisonwood Bible), Michael Connelly, and many, many others. She especially loved reading biographies. Mary also loved anything Ron Howard!

Although a quiet, gentle person, Mary had a huge personality and a beautiful laugh! She was the epitome of courage under fire in all things. She loved her family more than anything, and we all benefited from her laser focus. Mary loved talking to her older sister, Carolyn, about plants and growing things, about Carolyn’s caretaking of our sister, Brenda, when Brenda was diagnosed with breast cancer. Carolyn was Brenda’s rock through her bout of cancer before she passed away.

Mary loved her sisters equally but in different measure. Her sister, Nancy, had constant dueling emoji battles on texting in which they each would have many laughs. Mary was supportive of Nancy through her own health battles for many years, and they talked almost every day about everything. Her sister, Helen, also a gentle soul, was the beneficiary of Mary’s daily wit, laughter, and love of daily television shows. Mary loved The Young and the Restless and General Hospital, any old black and white movie, Andy Griffith, and All Creatures Great and Small, anything WWII related on PBS.

Her brother, Richard, spent many an hour with Mary outside cutting bushes and trees and directing him what he could and could not destroy with his lawn mower. After those encounters, they would spend a lazy timeframe talking about family and politics. Many words were spoken between them in those quiet moments of rest. Her sister, Libby, was her sidekick in many things. Their mutual love of Italian subs, James Taylor, and laughter rivaled each other. Her family mourns her passing with a grief so deep it feels never-ending, but we rejoice in having had Mary in our lives with her constant and abiding love for us. She will remain ever in our hearts, and she will be missed forever.

In keeping with Mary’s wishes, no services will be held.

Anyone wishing to do so, in her honor, please consider a donation to your local animal shelter or to the American Cancer Society.