Elizabeth “Betty” Keenan died on Thursday, Nov. 28, surrounded by her family.
There were many facets to Betty. Here are just a few …
Betty was born in East Orange, New Jersey, to Daniel R. Wall and Elizabeth M. Horton Wall. The family lived in Brooklyn, parts of Long Island and Upstate New York before moving to the West Coast.
Over the years, she lived in Salem, Corvallis, Summit, Blodgett, Sweet Home and the Kings Valley area of Oregon.
She was involved in the choir and Women’s Group at St. Helen Catholic Church in Sweet Home, attended the Newman and 5 p.m. masses St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Corvallis, and was involved in church activities at St. Pius X and St. Charles Catholic churches in San Diego, California.
She was an artist who loved quilting, crocheting, painting and sewing. She also dabbled in embroidery and macramé. She belonged to several quilt groups. She also loved to garden. She was a big reader of science fiction, fantasy, westerns and books on history. She loved her family and her pets.
Weekend mornings were filled with PBS shows: This Old House, The Woodwright’s Shop, The New Yankee Workshop, quilting shows, gardening shows and painting shows with Bob Ross and William Alexander.
She designed and built many things, including her own home. Give her a project and she could build it. Her daughter, Kara, called her power tool mom.
She earned her associate degrees/certifications as a dental hygienist and phlebotomist. Before retiring, she worked as a personal services worker for disabled individuals and the elderly in the Willamette Valley.
She was a Navy wife. She served as the Command Ombudsman for the U.S. Navy ship, USS Marvin Shields, and as an officer in the Ombudsman’s Assembly at 32nd Street Naval Station in San Diego. She was given multiple awards for this service. She also was an active member of the Navy League of San Diego.
She is survived by her daughters, Marilyn, Spike, Teresa and Kara; her nine grandchildren, Clinton, Jason, Kerianne, Thomas, Joseph, Jeremy, Jacqueline, C.J., and Caden; 14 great-grandchildren; and her brothers, Daniel, Peter, John and Brian.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Katie; husband, Gilbert; her brother, James; and her parents, Daniel and Elizabeth.
A graveside service will be held on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at noon at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Corvallis. On Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, a memorial Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 501 NW 25th Street in Corvallis with a Rosary Prayer Service beginning at 11:30 a.m. and the Mass to follow at noon.