Pearl Marie Keeney, 89, a resident of Sunrise Independent and Assisted Living in Sevema Park since 2004 and formerly of Greenbelt, died January 1 after a year of declining health at the Anne Arundel Medical Center.
Born in Annapolis Junction on October 22, 1919, she graduated from Glen Burnie High School where she was captain of her basketball and field hockey teams. She later completed a secretarial program at Strayers College.
She met her future husband, the late Kenneth Keeney, on a blind date in 1940. They later married during World War II prior to Mr. Keeney's shipping overseas where he served in the North African and Italian campaigns. Their wedding at the Baltimore Cathedral was delayed a day as a result of the March 29, 1942 Palm Sunday 22-inch snowstorm, a date still recognized as one of the top five snowstorms in the Baltimore area. During the war, Mrs. Keeney was employed as a secretary for the federal government.
After the war, with the help of Mrs. Keeney's father, ajoumeyman bricklayer, the couple built their home in Greenbelt where they resided for 55 years. She was employed for several years at the Department of Agriculture and NASA. During her marriage, she enjoyed square dancing, sewing, gardening and church activities. Mrs. Keeney was an accomplished bowler, serving as President and Secretary of her league. She previously was an active member of the women's Sodality at St. Hughes Catholic Church in Greenbelt. She prided herself in her manicured yard and landscaping of azaleas, dogwoods and Japanese maples. Mrs. Keeney also enjoyed many family gatherings, community activities around the Greenbelt Lake and vacation trips over the years to Myrtle Beach, SC and St. Petersburg, FL.
The couple was honored in 2007 as the longest married couple of 65 years in the
Archdiocese of Baltimore. Mrs. Keeney is survived by two daughters, Theresa Mae
Romanek of Jefferson, Kendra Lynn Hurt of Arnold, four grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Visitation will be held at the Barranco Funeral Home in Severna Park on Wednesday, January 7 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Services will be held at St. Johns Catholic Church in Sevema Park at 10:00 am on Thursday, January 8. Interment will follow at 11:30 am at the Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville.