Nancy Keck

Nancy Keck

Louisville - Nancy Keck passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 16, 2021 at The Eastern Star Home in Louisville, Kentucky after a prolonged battle with dementia. She was born on July 27, 1946 near Manasquan, New Jersey. Nancy was the daughter of Christene Miller Brown formerly of Madison, West Virginia and Edward I. Brown IV of Farmingdale, New Jersey. Both of her parents were US Navy veterans who served during WW II. Nancy had a brother Edward I. Brown V who is deceased. She had a very dear stepmother, Doris Brown.

Nancy graduated from Wall High School, Wall Township, New Jersey in 1964. She attended Mary Washington University in Fredricksburg, Virginia where she received her BS degree in Chemistry in 1968. Nancy attended graduate school at the University of Louisville where she earned her PhD degree in Chemistry. In the early 1990's she received her MBA from Ball State University.

Nancy is survived by her loving husband of 50 years John H. Keck, Jr. Their marriage produced one son David Brown Keck who resides with his wife Sue in San Jose, California. Nancy has a stepbrother Jack Taylor of Farmingdale, New Jersey. She has nieces, nephews and cousins in New Jersey and the Mid West.

Nancy's work experience stretches over four decades. Nancy always had a love for young people and education. She taught at Kentucky State University, The University of Louisville and has served as substitute teacher in the JCPS system. Her first industrial position was as chemist at the International Harvester plant in Louisville in the mid 1970's. She worked at General Electric from 1978 until 1992. Nancy was the first woman technical manager at the GE plant in Louisville. In 1992 she left GE to start her own strategic planning and consulting business, New Directions Unlimited, from which she retired in 2012.

Of her many achievements Nancy was probably most proud of her work with local, state and international Science Fairs. She served as judge for many years at the Louisville Regional Science and Engineering Fair and at the International Science and Engineering Fair. She worked as co-chairman of the International Science and Engineering Fair when it was held in Louisville in 1997 and 2004. She was instrumental in starting the Kentucky State Science Fair which has been held at Eastern Kentucky University annually since the early 1990's.

Nancy had many pastimes and hobbies. She was an accomplished artist in oil and water colors. She was a pilot having private and commercial licenses. She enjoyed playing the piano. She rarely missed a year of planting flowers outside the house in the springtime. Cruises and world travel were activities she and her husband and family friends could do together. Nancy and John spent many a winter vacation in New Jersey visiting relatives or in Marco Island, Florida.

No visitation or memorial service will be held. After cremation burial will be at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville.

Please consider donations to The Alzheimer's Association or Hospice in Nancy's name as an expression of sympathy.