Mary Keane Obituary

WAKEFIELD, RI- Mary Judith Keane died peacefully at home surrounded by the love of family and friends on February 2, 2025, after a recent malaise revealed itself to be a swiftly moving cancer. While technically a retiree, it was only this illness that stopped her from working and volunteering in the community where she happily belonged for 27 years.

Born in Boston on November 16, 1935, to Edward and Geraldine (Berrigan) Keane, Mary grew up in a large extended family, riding the trolley to Girls' Latin School, going to Red Sox games, and sailing the Charles. After graduating from Albertus Magnus College, marrying, and raising a family in Chelmsford, MA, she had a successful career in publishing, which eventually took her to San Francisco, CA, where she enjoyed the city's culinary scene and natural beauty. She loved travel, books, games, birding, murder mysteries, and gardening, as well as sitting on the beach after the crowds had gone home. In recent years she was devoted to organizations that enrich and dignify elderhood, particularly the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Rhode Island and A Community Together, the village model of aging in place. She led an active and courageous life and will be missed by those who had the pleasure of

accompanying her on any part of her journey.

Mary is survived by her children, Sara Coffey (Guil ford, VT), Tom Coffey (Cleveland Heights, OH), Deborah Coffey (Boston, MA), Rachel Bean (New York, NY), by her grandchildren, Emily, Izzy, Hannah, Abigail, Daniel, and Elliot, by sisters Barbara Blais (Newton, MA) and Anne Nancy Kruger (Boston, MA), and by many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by infant son Francis Daniel Coffey, her former husband, Joseph P. Coffey, and brothers David P. Keane and Paul E. Keane.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in the Hope Room at URI's Welcome Center, 45 Upper College Road, in Kingston, RI. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to A Community Together https://acommunitytogether.helpfulvillage.com.