ILAMAE KEEN
Feb. 2, 1914-July 4, 2006
Ilamae Fitzgerald Keen, 92, loving wife of Chester Edward Keen, deceased, died July 4, 2006 in Aiken, South Carolina.
A native of Johnston County, North Carolina, she was born February 2, 1914, to Alonzo Ernest and Lillian Bagley Fitzgerald. A graduate of East Carolina University, she taught elementary school in Johnston and Wayne counties. In later years she also taught in the Wayne Community College adult education program.
For sixty years she was a faithful and active member of Saint Paul United Methodist Church in Goldsboro, where she taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School, was president of United Methodist Women, served as circle leader and was a Methodist Youth Fellowship advisor. Her passion for missions, youth and service to others guided much of her life's work.
Ilamae loved growing and arranging flowers and competed in flower shows for many years as a life member of the Evergreen Garden Club of Goldsboro. Her home always reflected this love, with flower arrangements marking every occasion. She was also a long-term member of the Goldsboro Lioness Club.
She was gentle, loyal, patient and compassionate. Above all, Ilamae loved and was loved by her family. Married for 63 years, she and her husband demonstrated their faithfulness and commitment to each other with a reaffirmation service of their wedding vows in celebration of their 50th anniversary. A devoted mother to her three children, she supported them in all their activities, serving as den mother for Cub Scouts, Girl Scout troop leader and as the room mother for their schools.
Mrs. Keen is survived by her sons and their wives, James Edward Keen and Jacqueline Baker Keen of Chocowinity and Jerry Andrew Keen and wife Dorothy "Dottie" Sullivan Keen of Goldsboro, and her daughter, Judy Anne Keen Farmer, and her husband, James Oscar Farmer, of Aiken, South Carolina. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Robert David Keen of Raleigh, Diane Keen Kim of Los Angeles, California, Shannon Keen Gooding of Wilmington, Kelly Keen McKinney of Burlington, Elizabeth Farmer Lancaster of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Erin Fitzgerald Farmer of Columbia, South Carolina, and one great-granddaughter, Sierra Zhan Kim.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Saint Paul United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Homer Morrison presiding. Burial will follow in Wayne Memorial Park.
Flowers are welcome or memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice.
The family will receive friends from 10 until 11 in the Church parlor and at other times at home of Jerry and Dottie Keen at 1503 Harris Street, Goldsboro
Services by Seymour Funeral Home and Cremation Service Inc.
(Written & Paid by the Family)
Published in Obituaries on July 6, 2006 1:57 PM