Jean Keeley Obituary

Keeley
DR. JEAN A. KEELEY
April 25, 2020
Dr. Jean A. Keeley died April 25 at her home in Colorado Springs. She was born in England in 1931. Those 88 years were highlighted by 19 years as principal of Steele Elementary School in District 11 (1974-1993). Along the way she taught at Midland, Queen Palmer, and Buena Vista Elementary Schools and at East and Horace Mann Junior High Schools, including in HATC, the District program for highly academically talented children.
Another accomplishment was becoming Assistant Director of the Arts and Humanities Education Program for the Pikes Peak Regional Schools - five public school districts and all private and parochial schools. She also helped to develop and operate The Arts and Humanities Summer Institutes at Colorado College for K-12 educators as well as to pioneer the position of Instructional Coordinator at East Junior High School.
After graduating from high school in England, she came to Colorado Springs in 1950 to visit her sister who had married a WWII soldier. The rest is history. She was accepted at Colorado College with two years advanced standing and graduated with a B.A. in Sociology in 1955, an M.A. in Elementary Education in 1963, and a Ph.D. in K-12 Curriculum from the University of Colorado in 1972. She became a U.S. citizen in 1963.
Jean was a multi-faceted person. She loved reading, gardening, cooking, camping, fishing, skiing and spending time at her cabin in Breckenridge, listening to opera, driving sports cars, and living with dachshunds.
Highlights in her life included many trips to England to visit her family in Knowl Hill, Berkshire - where she grew up - and later at Watchet in Somerset.
Jean is survived by her partner, Judy Jones. Other survivors are nieces Abigail Gerlach of Colorado Springs and Genevieve Dorn of Manitou Springs; Genny's children and grandchildren, Kipper (Beau and Austin) and Monique (Adrianna and Symphony). Her English relatives are brother Christopher Keeley, and his daughters Charlotte Keeley-Knott and Nicola Keeley and Nicola's son Archie.
Other important people in Jean's life are Judy's sons Dave and Jeff Jones and her siblings Marsha Lee, Patty Cameron, and Randy Woodard.