Keir Donaldson

1931 - 2025

Keir Donaldson
May 12, 2025
Keir Henley Donaldson of Pawling, NY, and Middlebury, VT, died peacefully on May 12, 2025. She was 94 years old.
She was the daughter of Margaret Johnson Keir of Malpeque, PEI and Courtney Scott Henley of Birmingham, AL. Keir graduated from The Madeira School in McLean, VA, and Sweet Briar College in Lynchburg, VA, majoring in comparative religion. After graduation, she studied music in NYC and sang with well-known choral groups in the Northeast.
She was predeceased by her husband, Matthew Joseph Donaldson, in 1996; and her sister, Jane Henley Zahner, in 2008. She is survived by her two sons, Matthew and Courtney; two granddaughters, and four great-grandchildren.
Keir was one of the creators of the Charles Ives Center in Danbury, CT, where she engaged performers of orchestral, chamber, jazz, dance, and contemporary music. She also helped to create and promote the Pawling Concert Series at the Trinity-Pawling School in NY, active since 1975, which featured classical, soft rock, small orchestras, and well-known pianists and string quartets.
Keir had a keen mind and was a lifelong reader and bridge player. She had a wonderful sense of humor and a genuine interest in other people. Her grace and charm put others at ease, and she enjoyed a spirited discussion or a good laugh with just about anyone. She absolutely adored being surrounded by her extended family and getting to know her great-grandchildren. The world seems a bit smaller with her passing, and she will be missed.
She was buried in a small, private ceremony at Morningside Cemetery, in East Charlotte, VT. Arrangements were made by Corbin and Palmer Funeral Home, in Shelburne, VT.