Elaine Keane
Elaine Keane

Wilder, Vt. — Elaine E. Keane, 90, passed away after a brief illness surrounded by her family on June 4, 2017 at Valley Terrace in Wilder. She was born in Lebanon, N.H. on April 21, 1927, the daughter of Leo and Elizabeth (Brennan) Ouellette. She graduated from Lebanon High School and Boston University. She was employed at the White River Junction VA Hospital as a physical therapist and was very passionate about her work.

On June 20, 1949, she married her high school sweetheart, Thomas J. Keane, and together they owned and operated Tom’s Toggery and later Tommy Keane Sports in Lebanon. After the great fire of 1964 that destroyed much of Lebanon’s commercial district, Elaine and her husband Tom led the revitalization efforts to rebuild Lebanon’s downtown.

A lifelong parishioner of Sacred Heart Church, she served as the director of the CYO and was a volunteer physical education teacher at Sacred Heart School. She received an award from the Diocese of Manchester for her contribution in youth activities. She also served on the Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees and was president of the Lebanon Young Mothers Club.

Her family was the love of Elaine’s life. One of her greatest joys was to travel throughout Vermont and New Hampshire attending her grandchildren’s sporting events, theater performances and musical recitals. She was always ready with a blanket, an extra jacket and a folding chair in the car.

She was passionate about all sports from an early age, especially skiing and golf. Every Sunday her father would take her skiing at Mt. Tom or skating on Occom Pond. She was an active member of the Hanover Country Club starting in 1956 and was the Club Champion at Hanover Country Club and Carter Country Club. She was chairwoman of the Woman’s Golf Association and served on the Board of Directors of the NH Golf Association and Hanover Country Club.

Elaine is survived by Thomas J. Keane, her husband of 68 years;, her three children, Thomas M. Keane and his wife, Mary Jane of Rye, N.H., Kathryn K. Sehnal and her husband, Raymond of Pomfret, Vt., James C. Keane and his wife, Deborah of West Lebanon, N.H.; her grandchildren, Jonathan Keane, Mathew Keane, Erin Sehnal, Meghan (Sehnal) Duff, Kevin Keane, Thomas Keane, Jennifer Keane, and Christopher Keane; and seven great-grandchildren.

The family extends a heartfelt thank you to the entire staff of Valley Terrace and Bayada Hospice for their tremendous support.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Church in Lebanon on July 31, 2017, at 11 a.m. followed by a reception to celebrate her life. In accordance with Elaine’s wishes, donations in her memory may be made to the Pat Walsh Sneaker Fund, c/o Jim Vanier, Carter Community Building, PO Box 386, Lebanon, NH 03766.

Messages of condolence may be expressed with the family through an online guestbook by visiting www.rickerfuneralhome.com.