Jean McKeever Lawler

Jean McKeever Lawler, age 95, of Louisville, KY passed away January 9, 2024 in her home surrounded by her family.

Born in Short Hills, NJ, on February 25, 1928, to Winifred Carpenter and H. Van Brunt McKeever, Jean graduated from the Short Hills Country Day School, Miss Porter's School, Pine Manor Junior College, and Bryn Mawr Hospital School of Nursing (1952) with a degree in Nursing. Following college graduation, Jean lived in the Philadelphia area where she worked as a registered nurse. In 1952 she married John (Jack) Francis Lawler of Norristown, PA, and they moved into their first home in Collingswood, NJ. The following year, they moved to Watertown, NY, where they began raising their family of three children. Jean and Jack moved several times for Jack's professional opportunities. They lived in Aurora, IL, East Greenwich, RI, Norwood, MA, Macungie, PA, and Bedford, NH where Jean worked part-time in medical offices. She moved to Louisville, KY in 1997 to be closer to her grandsons after a divorce.

Jean was never happier than on the golf course, "lovingly" competing with her mother and sister, Shirley. She volunteered weekly at Baptist East Hospital for over 25 years, as well as volunteering for the reading program at a local elementary school. She treasured time with her grandsons and one of her fondest memories was building blanket forts with them when they were very young. Jean was their star cheerleader for so many activities, large and small. She diligently pursued perfection in her watercolor paintings, gifting many of her personalized works to loved family and friends. She excelled in sewing and baking, and her holiday pies and cookies were legendary. Jean adored all her dogs and inspired a love of animals to those around her, as well as volunteering for the Animal Rescue League of NH. She loved gardening, movies, and driving "a bit" too fast. Jean never hesitated to speak her mind and her sharp wit and sarcastic humor always lit up the room, never leaving a dull moment. She will be remembered for her kind and generous nature, creative endeavors and gracious manners, as no occasion was too small or too large for her touch of class.

She is survived by her three children: Sandra Lawler of Merrimack, NH, Lisa Lawler (Rico Reid) of Waltham, MA, and Brenda Lawler Sullivan (Terry) of Louisville, KY, as well as her two grandchildren: Tyler and Coley Sullivan, both of whom adored their "Gigi". Jean requested that no service be held, but that any gifts in her memory be given to the charity of the donors choice.