Nancy N. Keating

She was born in Arlington, Massachusetts on September 19, 1923, the daughter of Karl and Dorothy (Banks) Nichols.

Nancy was the widow of James E Keating, Sr. who passed away September 2016, and mother of five. She is survived by her children, Kenneth Keating and his wife, Dorothy Chabot Keating, Timothy Keating and his fiancé, Tina Beaman Hoppock, Dennis Keating and his wife, Linda Yendell Keating, Patricia Keating Ferguson and her husband, Scott Ferguson, James (Jed) Keating, Jr. and his wife, Tammy Reed Keating. Nancy was also grandmother of nine, Kristen Keating Coates, Allison Keating, Ted Keating, Grace Keating, Jennifer Keating Cameron, Craig Keating, Emily Lorandeau Irwin, Ben Lorandeau, Kyle Keating and great-grandmother of fourteen, Will, Kiera, Julia, Kiera, Avery, Audrey, Jack, Gabrielle, Michael, Ella, Jackson, Creswell, Innes, and Lova. She is also survived by her brothers, Roger and George Nichols. Their brother Richard Nichols passed in 2020.

Nancy and Jim were married in Connecticut on August 7, 1943 and they raised their five children in Gilsum. Nancy loved to work in her flower gardens and had large vegetable gardens, canning most of what she grew each summer. She did a lot of sewing and knitting for the family and as gifts. Nancy was involved in the Gilsum Elementary School, PTA, community activities making pies for the church suppers and she was instrumental in organizing the first Rock Swap. She continued as a Rock Swap committee member for many years. Nancy and Jim owned the Gilsum Village Store for a few years which Nancy operated with her father Ted. In her later years, to keep busy during the winter, she would knit random hats and mittens and give them away through non-profit groups.

Nancy had a quiet, adventurous spirit and talked Jim into selling their house and most of their belongings to live and travel the US in a 5th wheel travel trailer following his retirement. It turned out she loved the desert and they returned to Yuma, AZ every winter for 10 years. Following that adventure, they bought a home in a 55+ community in Naples, FL and retired there every winter for another 10 years. Each summer they returned to their 5th wheel camper on a plot of land in Gilsum to be near their family. They settled in Keene for the remainder of their lives.

Nancy and Jim had been residents at American House Keene (formerly Bentley Commons) for six years, in their assisted living community. Our family extends our thank you to the staff for the wonderful care they provided.

A memorial service will be planned at a later date.

In memory of Nancy, please feel free to donate hats, mittens, a warm sweater or coat to your favorite non-profit organization.