Last of the Five Keeney Sisters
Todayshe spent her day watching television, chatting with friends and relativeson the phone, and working crossword puzzles, interspersed with chowingdown on the three good meals her nephew fixed.
Mack's and Mame's middle child wanted to be a teacher.Maxine, Hannah, and Dot were older, and Buster, Bennie, and George wereyounger. Milly, in the middle, went all three years to Malden High Schoolbut took some classes at Charleston High School and graduated a semesterearly in Jan 1933.
After sitting out a year working to help with tuition,she attended Kanawha College for two years, then finished her educationdegree at Marshall College in 1938 as the country waded through the Depressionyears and approached unawares the Second War of the World.
Mildred, now "Miss Keeney", started her career at LeewoodJunior High School in Leewood, WV, up Cabin Creek. She stayed there twoyears, and when a position opened up at the new DuPont High School, shetook it. In addition to her science duties, she also sponsored the school'sfirst student newspaper, which soon received national honors.
West Virginia Institute of Technology was next on hercareer ladder, and she taught students there (two? four?) years. She mayhave stayed and finished her career there but for another love of her life--GirlScouting.
The summer after she graduated from high school was thefirst of many she served as a counselor at Camp Anne Bailey, the Girl Scoutfacility located between Lewisburg and White Sulphur Springs in GreenbrierCounty. In later years she'd serve as the camp's director. It was in thislatter capacity that she was invited to West Hempstead, New York, to directfirst a Girl Scout camp and then a private camp there. The attraction wasoverpowering, resolved by her leaving WVIT and returning to the juniorhigh classroom, teaching 7th grade science for three years at West HempsteadJunior High School and for five years at George Washington Junior High.
Maybe it was her sister Hannah who succeeded in enticingher back. Somehow the two conspired to bring a dream to reality, to buya farm in West Virginia to use as a "camp" for the extended family. Andwhile Milly finished her career--at least a little closer to home--by teachingfor several years at Manassas, Virginia, she and Hannah bought thefarm atop Chestnut Mountain near Hinton, WV. And use the farm the familydid! Siblings, nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends kept the place occupiedoften and for days at a time, almost year 'round. Her widowed uncle, GeorgeStanley, served for several of his last years as the farm's handyman andcaretaker.
And then Hannah started to fade with the onslaught ofcrippling arthritis and dementia. Milly determined to care for her, evento the point of selling the beloved farm to help stay solvent. A nephewmoved in to assist with Hannah's care. In 2001 Hannah died, and in 2003the first nephew died. Two more nephews helped by handling her finances,one of whom became her guardian. A fourth nephew moved in to provide live-inassistance.
This August 8, Mildred Agnes Keeney will celebrate 89years of living--loving, teaching, and helping others. And her legacy extendsinto the lives of thousands of relatives, friends, and former girl scoutsand students. May it continue to increase.