Annabelle Marie Keeney
Annabelle (Ann) Marie Keeney passed away peacefully in the presence of family at Virtua Marlton Hospital June 2, 2020 at the age of 80. She was born October 13, 1939 at home in Hagerstown MD to Marion and Charles Bartlett. She always joked she was born on Friday the 13th. She was born prematurely at home, a fighter from the start. She was the oldest of three siblings; her brothers, Charles (Butch) and Ronald Bartlett (deceased).
She graduated Hagerstown High School at the age of 15 and was accepted at age 16 to Philadelphia General Hospital Nursing program, Class of 1960. She would fondly reminisce about her nursing experiences such as solely supervising patient wards overnight as a nursing student and the quirky, doily nursing caps her classmates were required to wear. She was employed by Jefferson University Hospital in Surgical Services for over 30 years and became a respected colleague and mentor. One of the several highlights of her career included participating in Operation Smile and traveling to the Philippines to care for children requiring cleft palate reconstruction.
She loved to cook and although she shared her recipes freely, no one could recreate them and she often replied “It’s good but not as good as mine” with a mischievous smile. She was renowned for her extravagantly crafted homemade cookie and candy trays which were highly prized by friends, neighbors and colleagues. You knew you were loved if you made the holiday tray list! Mom took great pride in embroidering personalized Christmas stockings for all family members…even the family dogs. She sarcastically complained about every stitch and sequin but you knew they were all sewn with love and this made all her handiwork most cherished. She loved celebrating all holidays that brought our family together. She took pride in creating lifelong treasured memories and traditions. When we were children, we never decorated a Christmas tree, as that was “Santa’s job”; all things Christmas miraculously appeared overnight. She delighted in the expressions on her family’s faces as we pulled apart Christmas stockings and Easter baskets well into our adulthood. She loved to relive traditions and stories with all of her grandchildren on every possible occasion.
Mom lived her life unapologetically independent and outspoken until the end. She prided herself in her strong-willed personality and moral philosophy, passing on these values to her family. Her favorite pieces of jewelry were her opals which were her birthstone. She reveled in stories about related superstitions such as “it was unlucky to wear an opal unless it was your birthstone”….surely to keep us out of her jewelry box. She was an avid reader; Agatha Christy and James Patterson were her favorites. Mom also LOVED all mystery and detective TV series and late night comedy shows, especially Stephen Colbert…he always made her laugh. Mom loved agreeing with Judge Judy as their no-nonsense approach to foolishness complemented each other’s personality. Some of her favorite movies were the Pink Panther series with Peter Sellers. She laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks. Her genuine belly laugh was contagious. She was a dedicated coupon clipper and there were many instances of us diving through the trash if we mistakenly tossed her coupons.
Ann was a loving mother to her three children; Cheryl Menay Feliciano (m. Neddy Menay), Michael Wayne Keeney and Brian David Keeney (m.Dana Hartzog). She was immensely proud of her three grandchildren; Jennifer Lynn Keeney, Shannon Nadine Keeney, and Benjamin Charles Keeney. There will never be sufficient words to describe how special they were to her and all the memories created during their lives. Brian and Dana gifted her with a Smart Frame where she enjoyed watching our family’s adventures no matter where they were occurring. She will be remembered for her razor sharp wit and unfailing devotion to her family.
A Memorial Service celebrating her life will be postponed until late summer due to Covid social distancing restrictions in NJ. If you would like to attend, please email me at [email protected] or drop me a note, 414 Willowbrook Way, Voorhees, NJ 08043 and we will place your name on a Save the Date contact list. If you would like to make a donation in her name in lieu of flowers; her favorite organizations were St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and the Food Bank of South Jersey. Funeral arrangements by the DuBois Funeral Home, 700 South White Horse Pike, Audubon, NJ 08106. Condolences and memories may be shared at DuboisFuneralHome