SOUTHAMPTON – Rosemarie Keller, 87 was born April 2, 1927 in Boston, MA and raised in Westfield, by her mother Gladys Smith and her Pa and Gram and grew up with her aunts and uncles that were nearly her age. After Westfield High School she would ride the bus to A.I.C. but dropped out to marry her “GI Joe” from Southampton, a shell shocked Army Veteran returning from fighting in Italy. She moved to the Keller family farm and soon had two little babies and it became her mission to seek help for her new husband, which she secretly did by contacting the VA for help with his bleeding ears and nightmares. Later when he was at the Holyoke Soldiers Home, while holding hands, she told him what she had done, Joe thanked her and began to cry, she began to cry, her son Louie witnessed their tears and left the room and began to cry. Returning to Joe’s room several minutes later they were still holding hands and talking about life. If Joe began to pick on her she would have her son take her home, always telling him he’d better be in a better mood when she came again to visit. Contacting the VA for help was very meaningful to her, she was very proud that he could lead a good life after the war. Her babies were now young sons, so she went back to A.I.C. to get all of her degrees. She taught at several schools in Western MA before becoming a Math teacher at Holyoke High School She was also the math teacher for S.A.C at Westover A.F.B. for many years and was a volunteer treasurer for the Southampton Council on Aging until recently. She traveled to North, Central and South America, the Caribbean, eastern and western Europe and North Africa. She loved traveling and mowing her lawn with the riding mower which was one of her favorite things to do.She passed away in her living room, just as her husband did, overlooking the Manhan River. She was very, very happy to be home! Rose was predeceased by her Husband Joseph Stanley Keller on June 5, 2014. She is survived by her two sons James and wife Diane of Hudson, Florida and Louis of Southampton; two grandchildren, Kimberly Putnam and husband Lowell of Longmeadow, and Jon Keller and fiancée Sharon Collier of Indian Orchard; two great-grandchildren, Sara and Jen Putnam; nephew Robert Niedzwiecki and wife Fern of Southampton; in addition to many close friends and family members. She passed away in the arms of Anne Fox and Laurie Bilodeau Hutton. Special thanks go to Cooley Dickinson VNA & Hospice, Eileen Hoarle, O’Connell Home Health Care, Linda Manor Rehabilitation Center and Cooley Dickinson Hospital.The funeral will be held Thursday, December 18, at 11:30 a.m. at the Firtion-Adams Funeral Service, 76 Broad St., Westfield. Calling hours will precede the service Thursday, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be held at St Stanislaus Cemetery in Easthampton,MA.Donations can be made to Cooley Dickinson Hospital, 30 Locust Street, Northampton, MA 01061 in gratitude from the Keller family in honor of Dr. Diane Debenedetto who afforded Rose 12 more years of life.
