Emily Estelle Keeler

She is survived by her son, Christopher (Susie) Kime and three grandchildren, Keeler Kime, Lychelle Kime and Mandalyn Kime. Emily was preceded in death by her parents Mary and Fred Keeler, her cousin Gordon, her brothers Chuck and Art (Betty) and her daughter Katie.

Emily was a 6th grade schoolteacher and school counselor in Houston, Texas, for about 15 years. In her high school yearbook of 1945, she was the assistant editor, and part of a counseling group for incoming freshmen. Her goal as a senior in high school was to graduate from college. She accomplished this at Macalester College and then went on to earn a master’s degree in counseling from Michigan State University.

Emily was a prolific writer of poems and short stories. She was even published in a national book for Oasis (a writing group for up-and-coming writers over the age of 50). She taught Haiku poetry classes for Oasis, as well.

Emily loved to read and was a lifelong learner of many subjects. She was also very good with design and color with a flair for dressing up in shades of blue, purple, green and red. She loved turquoise jewelry and had a special place in her heart for Southwest style.

Emily lived in Spokane, Washington (born and raised on an apple/fruit orchard), St. Paul, Minnesota, Redwood City, California, Tokyo, Japan, San Francisco (her favorite place), (where she met Bill Kime, whom she married). They eventually moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan and later to Lansing where they lived for many years, adopting two children (Chris and Katie). After more than 20 years, their marriage ended in divorce and Emily moved to Houston, Texas for a teaching job. After retiring, she moved to San Diego to be closer to her grandchildren.

Emily enjoyed traveling; she did a stint in Japan teaching after WWII. She visited Russia, France, Norway (as she would say, “This is where my people are from”), Israel, Egypt, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, and many places in the USA.

Excerpt from her memoir: One Woman’s Journey: Regarding her mother, who died of TB when Emily was 13, “You’d be proud of me Mother. I didn’t take your advice. I took your spunk instead….” Regarding her father, “After Mother died, Dad talked to me, ’I can’t make it alone. You and your brothers must work for the good of the family. If you do your job on the farm, I won’t fill your closet with clothes, but I will send you to college. Five years later, Dad set his little bird free - to grow.”

While in San Diego, Emily rented apartments, until one day she thought it a wise investment to purchase a condo. She was always thrifty, and she almost didn’t buy the condo because she wanted it for $2,000 less than offering, but Chris was able to talk her into it and when she sold the place years later, she was very happy with her investment.

Emily volunteered at Balboa Park, was a counselor at Oasis, and at the First Unitarian Universalist Church. She loved walking around the San Diego Zoo, watching every Downton Abbey episode (she enjoyed PBS and several of their series) and she wrote the welcome bio for new folks moving into St. Paul’s Independent Living Community, where she lived for about six years before transitioning to Assistive Living, and then Memory Care.

When you live from 1928 to the beginning of 2024, you have lived a long life. Emily lived through the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, the Social Security Act, everything WWII brought (including the death of her oldest brother, Chuck), the Cold War, Rosa Parks and the Bus Boycott, the formation of the National Organization for Women, Roe v. Wade, and Barack Obama becoming the first Black President. Emily was a Democrat, standing for woman’s rights, cultivating her love of family and she truly embodied her initials (EK) from her 1945 yearbook meaning, “Elastic Kindness,” throughout her entire life.

We love you Emily and we will miss your kind smile, watching you drink scalding hot coffee, eating dark chocolate and telling our dog Rambo (when he was alive) “SiiiT”, while pointing a finger.

May you rest in a very deserved peace.

The family wishes to have a private memorial. Those who desire to honor Emily Keeler’s life can donate to St Paul’s https://www.stpaulseniors.org/donate/ where she was given dignity, love, and care.