Obituaries
Verna Marion Keogh
May 7, 2008

Verna Marion Keogh, a resident of Greenwich for 53 years, died at her home on Sunday, April 27. She was 90 years old.

She was born on March 1, 1918, to Olaf Pedersen, a symphony musician who once played under Edvard Grieg, and Anine Hansen, a music teacher who had emigrated from Norway and Denmark in the 1880s.

Ms. Keogh was passionate about music, art, animals and the water, family members said. As a member of the Belle Haven Club for 52 years, she chaired a number of committees, but perhaps the most meaningful to her, family members said, was the members’ art show, which she hung annually until two years ago.

For many years in the 1950s and 1960s, she was chairwoman of the Junior Sailing Committee and actively participated in the ladies sailing program. She was also a member and supporter of the Greenwich Art Society for many years.

When her late husband, James Keogh, was the director of the United States Information Agency in the 1970s, Ms. Keogh accompanied him on trips to nearly all of the agency locations around the world and devoted special attention to assuring staff members at all levels of the importance of what they were doing in communicating the strengths and values of the United States to people throughout the world. She is “fondly remembered by those with whom she interacted,” family members said.

Ms. Keogh was predeceased by her husband in May 2006. She is survived by her son, Kevin Keogh of Greenwich, her daughter, Kathy Reed of Bryn Mawr, Pa., and six grandchildren.

A memorial service in celebration of Ms. Keogh’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11, at Christ Church in Greenwich.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Ms. Keogh’s memory may be made to Christ Church Greenwich, 254 East Putnam Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830.

© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers