Obituary of Elizabeth V. Keating

Elizabeth (Vail) Keating died at home on February 8, 2020 at Maris Grove, Glen Mills, PA. Known as "Betty", she was raised in Brooklyn by kind and loving parents, Frederick and Irene (Bayha) Vail and a doting older sister, also called Irene. Educated at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn and the Katherine Gibbs School in Manhattan, she married young, joining with Herbert J. Keating, Jr, a chemical engineer and Army veteran of World War II, creating and sharing a rich life in the Philadelphia area. Their marriage lasted sixty – eight years, ending with Herb's death in June 2018. Despite some early difficulties with the premature death of her Father and a struggle with breast cancer, Betty was always a vivacious and charming woman, energizing everyone around her. Among many other things, Betty loved Philadelphia and its energy and music, cats, dogs (dachshunds and German shepherds) and playing bridge. She also loved the subtlety and sinew of the English language and was the first person to grab a dictionary whenever there was opportunity to clarify a word's particular meaning. Betty had a love of flowers and indoor plants, and her ability to nurture and grow them brought joy to all who entered her homes. Betty's charitable work was accomplished through her involvement in the Episcopal Church in Springfield, Pa, the Church of the Redeemer. Betty made friends easily, and to her many friends, Betty was generous and loyal and given to gentle sentimentality. She also loved a good party, and was the world's best hostess, someone who took great pains on behalf of each one of her guests; however, Betty had high standards for her own and others' behaviors, and particularly could not abide willful ignorance or rudeness or evident intoxication. She had the courage to confront these traits when she saw them. Mostly, Betty loved her family, who will miss her deeply. She leaves her son, Herbert (Bert) Keating and his wife, Mary Jo (Matel) Keating, and her other son, Gregory V. Keating. (Greg's wife Mary, whom Betty loved dearly, died of leukemia in 2015). Betty leaves her grandchildren, Anne Scherer, Jane Keating, Anthony Keating, Ross Keating and Seth Keating. She leaves her great grandchildren, Anne's Susanna and Eliza, and Jane's new baby, Josephine. She also leaves her nieces, Robin Ticic, Fern Purbs, and Elise Kushner. A memorial service for Betty will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2020 at St. John's Episcopal Church, 576 Concord Road, Glen Mills at 11:00 am, and will be followed by a reception at the parish house of the Church. Contributions in Betty's memory and honor may be sent to St. John's Church or the American Cancer Society (PO Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718) and would be welcome. The family thanks the community and medical staff of Maris Grove, and is especially grateful to Kyle and Ann and their team at the Visiting Angels of Glen Mills, PA.