Obituary of Ellen Keefe

View Video Tribute Myrtle Ellen Coe was born on January 10th, 1933 to William Duncan and Lola Lohr Coe in Kit Carson, Colorado and her soul departed this world on May 12th, 2009 at Keefe Memorial Hospital in Cheyenne Wells. After graduating from Cheyenne Wells High School in 1950, she attended the University of Colorado majoring in education to become an elementary school teacher. While attending college, she played clarinet in the Golden Buffalo Marching Band. Her marriage to Jerome L. Keefe and his three sons (Dan, Mike, and Barry) on September 13, 1955 changed her career path to mother and caregiver. This 49+ year marriage added two more sons, Gerald and Kevin. She devoted her entire life to caring for her family and friends. It is her unending faith, love, giving, consideration, and passion for life that she will be most fondly remembered for. While her physical presence will be missed her spirit lives on in all of us and her courage over the past ten years as she battled illness with a quiet courage and grace has served as an inspiration to all that knew her. She will be especially missed by The Alter Society, Red Hats, Cheyenne Manor Nursing Home, Cheyenne Wells High School Foundation, Methodist Women’s Group, and her extended family and all those that call her a friend. Ellen’s interests included crafts, listening to music of all kinds, following her son’s and grandchildren’s sports and careers, church and community activities, travel and playing the nickel slot machines at Laughlin, Nevada. She lived life to the fullest and always saw the good that resided in the hearts of her fellow man. Her sons were proud to call this wonderful and gentle woman “momâ€? and the pain of her loss will be softened by all the wonderful memories that they hold dear. Ellen was preceded in death by William Duncan Coe (father); Lola Lohr Coe (mother); Donald Duncan Coe (brother); Jerome L. Keefe (husband) Surviving Immediate Family Members include (sisters) Wilma Scott of Mesa Arizona and Loreta Walker of Blacksburg Virginia (sons) Dan Keefe of Seattle Washington, Mike Keefe and wife Sue of Glen Haven, Barry Keefe, Gerald Keefe and wife Kathy Dwyer-Keefe, of Cheyenne Wells and Kevin Keefe of Ft. Morgan. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made in Ellen’s name to the Cheyenne Wells High School Foundation or to the Kit Carson Music Program and may be left at the Kit Carson State Bank or the Eastern Colorado Bank in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado. Funeral services for Ellen were held on Saturday, May 16, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Scared Heart Catholic Church with Father Kuzma officiating. Burial followed in the Fairview Cemetery in Cheyenne Wells. Visitation was held on Friday, May 15, 2009 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. with a Parish Rosary held at 7:00 p.m. at the Scared Heart Catholic Church in Cheyenne Wells.