Mona Ames

3/20/1941 - 1/6/2024

Plainfield - Mona M. Ames of Plainfield, died Jan. 6, 2024. She was able to stay happily living in her home, as was her wish, until the last few hours of her life. She was surrounded by loving family when she passed on. Mona was the most wonderful mother and nana to her beloved "family 13." She was born March 20, 1941, in North Conway, N.H., and was the daughter of the late Woodrow and Abbie (Weeks) Munroe of South Chatham, N.H.

Mona was raised in South Chatham on the family farm called "Weeks Farm." She graduated from Kennett High School, Conway, N.H., and the Maine Medical Center School of Nursing in Portland, Maine. During 44 years of nursing and nurse administration, Mona worked at the Memorial Hospital and Vaughan Community Health Service in North Conway, N.H., and in skilled nursing facilities, rehab centers, and visiting nurse associations in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Her employers noted with interest that her resume included MOTHERHOOD with her children's names and their pursuits, of which she was so pleased. Mona devoted herself to her family. In 1962, she married George H. McKeen, and they lived on the family dairy farm in West Fryeburg, Maine, until fire destroyed their home, barn, and all their belongings. Their two young sons and infant daughter were rescued through a window by their grandfather, unharmed. Although the marriage ended, George and Mona remained close, supportive friends and loving parents to their children.

In 1981, Mona married the Rev. Thomas C. Roden of Griswold, who predeceased her in 1988. They had a short but wonderful partnership and marriage. In 1993, Mona married Edward M. Ames of Plainfield, who predeceased her in 2019. She was a devoted wife to Ed. Mona was a member of the First Congregational Church of Griswold, the Green Hill-South Chatham, N.H. Cemetery Association, the Chatham, N.H. Historical Society and a past member of the Mountain View Grange in East Conway, N.H.

Mona leaves her loving family of children and grandchildren: Shannon McKeen and wife Karen Bartoletti of Winston-Salem, N.C., Patrick McKeen and partner Morgan Carothers of Somerville, Mass., and Anna McKeen of Winston-Salem, N.C.; Nathan McKeen and wife Jane, Brooke and Morgan of Weathersfield, Vt., Amy (McKeen) Merchant and husband Scott and Abigail and Sarah of Griswold. She also leaves her sister Wanda (Munroe) Irish of Conway, N.H.; nieces, nephews, cousins (especially the Fernalds), extended family, special friends and her Church "family." She was predeceased by her sister Sunya (Munroe) Pitman; and two brothers-in-law, William Pitman and George Irish.

There will be no calling hours. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 3, at the First Congregational Church of Griswold. As she wished, her ashes will be buried in Pachaug Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mona's memory may be made to the Memorial Fund of First Congregational Church of Griswold, 878 Voluntown Road, Griswold, CT 06351 or the Ross Adult Day Center, 165 McKinley Avenue, Norwich, CT, 06360. The Gagne-Piechowski Funeral Home of Griswold has been entrusted with the arrangements. For online condolences please go to www.gagnefuneralhome.com.