Obituary of Margaret M. Keeler

Margaret "Peg" McCleary Keeler Margaret "Peg" McCleary Keeler departed this life for her eternal home on Friday, July 8, three months after celebrating her 90th birthday with a large group of family and friends at Normandy Farms Estates, her residence of 13 years. She was the devoted wife of her childhood sweetheart, the late Fred Ashmead Keeler, whom she married June 2, 1950, in Mt. Airy. She was preceded in death by her parents, Samuel McCleary and Margaret Steele Watson McCleary; by her brother, Samuel P. McCleary; and by dozens of lifelong friends, especially from the 1943 graduating class of Germantown High School, with whom she had kept in close contact. Peg was a tirelessly committed and loving mother to Diane (Skip) Cox, Susan Umble, Paul (Jane) Keeler, and John (Dr. Virginia) Keeler. Better known as Nana, she was a proud grandmother of Ashley Cox, Matthew Cox, Courtney (Justin) Hartzel, Lauren (Matthew) Gessner, Elizabeth Keeler, Daniel (Amy) Keeler, Stuart Keeler, Geoffrey Keeler, Meghan Keeler, Luke Keeler, Anneliese Keeler, and Jessica Keeler; and adoring great-grandmother of Aubrey Hartzel and Chase Keeler. A 1947 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in science, Peg pursued a career in research and development in the fuel division of Philadelphia Quartermaster and, later, as research manager at Springhouse Corporation, where she was the first person ever to be recognized as Employee of the Month. At Normandy Farms, she served six years as the Archives Committee chair. Peg was a devoted member for over sixty years at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, where she served at various times as clerk of session, trustee, and elder. Ever an enterprising and industrious woman, Peg will also be remembered for the adventuresome spirit that prompted decades of globe-trotting, even with young children and grandchildren in tow. Her travels took her to nearly every continent, but her favorite destinations were the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania for skiing and Ocean City, New Jersey, for summertime leisure. Peg loved sharing these special places with her grandchildren, and was also known to initiate many a game of Tripoly or "chicken foot" (Dominoes). She was a highly sought bridge partner, though that particular passion wasn't caught by any of her grandchildren. They did, however, embrace her signature dishes: "peach toast" and "boat eggs." Family and friends are invited to a funeral service at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, July 20, at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, 8855 Germantown Ave., Phila., PA 19118, preceded by a viewing at 9:30 a.m. Following will be an interment service at Ivy Hill Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the above church or to The Parkinson's Foundation, c/o John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21201.