Jeanne A. McKeon

1925 - 2015

McKeon, Jeanne A.
Jeanne Adele Brisse McKeon, 90, of Branford, Connecticut, formerly of Woodbridge, died peacefully at her home on August 10, 2015. She was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on March 3, 1925, the daughter of Frank and Frances Belisle Brisse. She married the love of her life, the late Frank D. McKeon, in 1947, and leaves behind 12 children, Susan McKeon of Branford, Patricia McKeon (Neal Warshaw) of Chatham, NY, Sarah Winn of Branford, Frank McKeon (Wa Xian) of Houston, TX, Maria McKeon of Hebron, Margaret Reddington of Lincoln, RI, Michael McKeon (Ellen) of Trumbull, William McKeon (Polly) of Houston, TX, Thomas McKeon (Julie) of Trumbull, Richard McKeon (Kathryn) of Berkeley Heights, NJ, Peter McKeon (Beth) of Acton, MA, and Paul McKeon (Jill) of Ridgewood, NJ. She was predeceased by her son, Joseph McKeon (Dorothy) of West Simsbury, CT. and her son-in-law, Frank Reddington. She leaves behind 31 grandchildren, Ryan and Kevin Russo, Kaitlin Loftus, Aaron, Isaac, and Anna Warshaw, Matthew and Daniel Winn, Kathleen, Craig, and Kevin Lennon, Daniel and Brendan Reddington, and Amber, Joseph, Jane, Megan, Rachel, Ellen, Charlotte, Kelly, Conor, Jack, Colin, Kelsey, Bryan, Olivia, Chloe, William, Sam, and Miranda McKeon. She also leaves behind two great-grandchildren, Madelyn and Colton Loftus.
Jeanne was a graduate of Manhattanville College with a BS in nursing, and later earned her Nurse Practitioner certification at the University of Connecticut. She was employed by the Amity school system, working as a school nurse in the middle school (Bethany campus) and later at the high school in Woodbridge. She took special interest in students who had financial need, and often contacted local dentists and doctors to obtain free medical care for those who could not otherwise afford it. She also reached out to those in emotional crisis, and frequently took displaced students into her home.
Jeanne was a Eucharistic minister at the Church of the Assumption in Woodbridge, as well as a Cub Scout leader and religious education teacher. After moving to Branford, she was a communicant at St. Mary's Church, and a volunteer at the Branford Visiting Nurse Association Thrift Shop. She played tennis and paddleball until her mid-80's, and was never happier than when kayaking on Long Island Sound with her friends at Harbour Village.
Jeanne loved her aides, Alecia DiBene, Lisa Streater, and Ireyna Cogswell. The family will be eternally grateful for their extraordinary care.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mary's Church in Branford on Thursday, August 20, 2015, at 10 am. Burial will follow in St. Lawrence Cemetery in West Haven.
A wake will be held at the W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main St. Branford on Wednesday, August 19, 2015, from 4-8 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Jeanne's name may be made to the:
Jeanne B. McKeon Memorial Scholarship Fund/Amity,
Attn: Amity Finance Dept, 25 Newton Road, Woodbridge, CT. 06525. See online memorial @ www.wsclancy.com.