Mildred Ethyle Keen

Born at home on November 20, 1925 in Leonardo, New Jersey, Mildred Ethyle Keen, was called to heaven on February 10, 2020 in Indiantown, Florida. The youngest of five children, she was the daughter of Theresa Kilgannon Sellick and Charles W. Sellick. Mildred was influenced at an early age by her mother’s immigration from Dromore West, Ireland and her father’s adventurous career as an aviator and owner of Florida State Airways. Mildred would divulge stories of being a young girl flying with her father over the Jersey shore. But she also lived during the Great Depression and passed along to her children the lessons she learned about sudden loss and the value of hard work from her unconventional childhood.

Introduced by her friend, Ann, to her eldest brother, Mildred met the love of her life, Harry Joseph Keen. Married on August 2, 1948, they began their new life together near their families in Middletown, NJ. Using a design from a popular magazine and being their own general contractors, they laboriously built their first home after work and on weekends, mortgage-free. Eventually parents to eight children, Harry and Mildred welcomed in 1950 their first child, Elaine Theresa, who was soon followed by three more daughters and four sons.

Upon graduation from Middletown High School, Mildred successfully worked as a secretary until she became a mother. As the family expanded, so did Mildred’s interest in politics and education where she took active roles in the local League of Women’s Voters and the school PTO. In 1969 seeking a new opportunity, the family moved to Waterford, Vermont where she lived for the next 45 years.

While Mildred was devout to her faith, she instilled in her children that most important was how one lived their lives and treated others. Mildred was a communicant of St. John the Evangelist Church in Vermont. She also attended services at St. Rose of Lima Church in Littleton, NH. For the last 12 years of her life, she was a parishioner of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Indiantown, Florida.

In 1971 Mildred was one of eight founding members of the St. Johnsbury Seed and Weed Garden Club where she learned about native Vermont shrubs, trees, and flowers. As an active member, Mildred volunteered, with the aid of her sons, to plant trees and shrubs along the streets and in the parks of St. Johnsbury. Today many enjoy the environmental and beautification benefits of these trees that were so important to Mildred. Simultaneously, she was also a member of the Littleton, NH Garden Club and worked in similar ways to increase her own knowledge and volunteered in projects to improve the environment with flowers and plantings.

Mildred was never happier than when she was working in her flower and vegetable gardens. She was particularly interested in the Latin names of plants and how to propagate seeds and offshoots. Mildred was a consummate reader of newspapers and magazines. As her children left home, she communicated faithfully by letter writing, keeping the family abreast of home news. She used her letters as a means to keep each of her eight children in touch with what the others were doing as they were finding their way in the world. Always having a love of words, in her later life Mildred enjoyed the challenge of words search puzzles. Always productive, she relaxed on her porch with visitors as she busily crocheted small items for others.

Being the youngest of five children, Mildred took pride in having, as she would say, “a mind of her own”. This innate sense of independence stood her well as she went against the grain by never smoking at a time when urged to pick up this popular habit by her family. Mildred’s independent spirit not only served her well in this regard, but she also instilled the important attributes of thinking for yourself and being responsible for your own decisions in her children.

Mildred fondly noted that while she never played golf, she began and concluded her life near golf courses. She grew up across the street from a golf course where she loved to ice skate on its ponds and sled down its hills on winter days. Working outdoors was never a chore, and she was proud to say she “always had a system”, being very organized so that she would have time for her numerous gardens and flower beds. Mildred gained much pleasure in her last years being driven in a golf cart to look at the birds, flowers, and wildlife in her Florida retirement community. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

A philosophy that Harry and Mildred strictly adhered to as parents was fairness. By example, they taught their children to share, to be diligent students, to work hard, and to respect and to help each other. Because they instilled these attributes, in later years they could take much joy and pride in the independence and success of their family.

Harry and Mildred are now together again in their next adventure. Predeceased by their daughter, Elaine Keen Harrington, they are remembered and loved by their children and spouses: Marie and Arthur Shaw, Nora and Richard Close, David and Monica Keen, Anita and Timothy Waite, Stephen Keen, Eric Keen and Nora Nirk, and Ronald Keen and Linda Blair. They leave 13 grandchildren: Rebecca Harrington, Rachel Harrington, Joe Shaw, Ken Shaw, Jessica Waite, Betsy Waite, Padraic Keen, Trevor Keen, Colleen Cappello, Kelly Keen, John Keen, Anne Keen, Paul Keen, Jackson Hall, and Mathew Hall and 15 great grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, Mildred was predeceased by her sisters Ruth Thompson, Dorothea Green, Adele Leek, and her brother Charles Sellick. She is survived by many nieces and nephews.

In her final days Mildred was blessed to have her husband, Harry, daughters Nora and Anita, and many dedicated and skilled caregivers to help her at her side. In her final days she repeatedly thanked all of those who cared for her in this most difficult time.

Family was of utmost importance to Mildred. Her last thoughts and words were not about concern for herself but for her family she would be leaving behind. She wanted us all to know how much she loved us. She also expressed the special love she had for her husband, Harry, who assured her she was his “one and only true love.”

Church services and burial for both Harry and Mildred Keen will be in Lower Waterford, VT this summer. Donations can be made in Mildred Keen’s memory to Elsabeth Lahti Library, 15200 SW Adams Ave, Indiantown, FL 34956 or Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, P.O. Box 016880 (D-880), Miami, FL 33101-6880.