Mary D. Keene

Mary Woodbury Keene

Mary Keene, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, entered the eternal presence of her Lord and Savior on August 28, 2025, at the age of 89.

Mary was born on July 23, 1936, in Laona, Wisconsin, the daughter of Paul and Lois Woodbury. She grew up in Crandon and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in a Christian household alongside her sisters June, Patricia, and Paula. She was a joyful and adventurous child who loved attending church and Christian youth camps, and she cherished the memory of asking Jesus to be her Lord and Savior as a young girl.

When her family relocated to Oakland, California, in the late 1950s as Mary graduated from high school. She began working as an executive secretary and was actively involved in her church, where she sang in the choir, demonstrating her strong faith and vibrant spirit to all who knew her. It was there that she met a young naval aviator, Lieutenant Thomas “Jack” Keene, stationed on the USS Midway in Alameda, California. Their courtship blossomed into a marriage covenant, and on June 8, 1957, Mary and Jack began a 58-year journey together.

A Navy Wife and Partner in Service

From the very beginning, Mary embraced the life of a “Navy wife” with devotion and grace. While Jack served as a naval aviator through the Cold War, Vietnam, and numerous global assignments, Mary was his steadfast partner—raising their daughters, managing countless moves, and serving as the heart of the home in every new duty station. Their Navy life took them across the United States and around the world: California, Kansas, Washington State, Hawaii, Washington D.C., Rhode Island, Japan, Norway, and Iceland.

Mary attended to the needs of her family during Jack’s long deployments, carried the weight of absences with prayerful resilience, and became a model of strength for other Navy wives and families. During one of Jack’s three-year tours, Mary raised her first two daughters independently during the Vietnam War, while Jack flew combat missions during deployments that lasted 10 months or more. She loved to sew, making clothes for her daughters and quilting. She served as a leader of Brownie and Girl Scout troops and volunteered in many of the girls’ activities, particularly endless fundraising bake sales.

Faith, Family, and Friendship

Wherever Mary lived, the local Christian church became her anchor. She sang in choirs, attended Sunday School, and built friendships that would last a lifetime. Together, she and Jack often found ways to serve—whether by organizing church events, hosting Bible studies, or simply extending hospitality to newcomers.

Mary’s life was defined by her deep love for her family. She took delight in being a mother to her three daughters and later in her role as grandmother and great-grandmother. She celebrated every milestone with pride, from graduations and weddings to the births of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her laughter, hugs, and prayers are memories cherished by all who loved her.

A Legacy of Love

Mary’s devotion to her husband was unwavering. Jack often described her as his partner in every sense—his “heroine” on the home front while he served abroad. Their marriage was truly a union blessed by God, and together they modeled a life of faith, perseverance, and love.

Mary is survived by her three daughters: Linda Keene Suttie (Richard), Sandra Keene Allen (Daniel), and Holly Keene Kapica (Jon). She leaves behind six grandchildren—Kyle Suttie, Kaity Tait (Luke), Brian Allen (Danielle), Christopher Allen (Nicolette), Tommy Kapica, and Abby Kapica—as well as fifteen great-grandchildren. She is also remembered with love by her sister and her husband, Paul and Paula Nielsen, extended family, and a host of dear friends from across the world.

Eternal Salvation

For the past four years, Mary was a member of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Overland Park, Kansas, where she had many beloved friends and sisters in the faith. Mary reflected the joy of her savior whenever she attended church or a church event, smiling and joyful in her worship and bible studies. She lived with grace through every season of change, and she finished her journey holding fast to her Savior’s promise of eternal life.

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’” — Proverbs 31:28–29

Mary will be laid to rest beside her beloved husband, Captain Thomas Jack Keene, at Miramar National Veterans Cemetery in San Diego, California. Though her earthly journey has ended, her eternal life is secured by the blood of her Savior and her legacy of faith and love lives on in the hearts of her family and all who were blessed to know her.

To share a memory of Mary, or to leave a message for her family, visit the guestbook below.