Sheila Spear and Spurgeon Milton Keeny

SHEILA SPEAR, daughter of CHRISTY VIRGINIA MCDONALD and JOHN ASHCROFT SPEAR, was born June 1, 1927,^{3819, 456} and died September 10, 2011 in Washington, District of Columbia.³⁸²³ She is buried in Lincoln-Noyes Cemetery, Greensboro, Orleans, Vermont.^{3823, 456}

She married SPURGEON MILTON KEENY on May 3, 1952 in First Church of Christ, Congregational, Farmington, Hartford, Connecticut.²⁰⁴² He was born October 24, 1924,⁴⁵⁶ and died August 10, 2012. He is buried in Lincoln-Noyes Cemetery, Greensboro, Orleans, Vermont.⁴⁵⁶

• Descendant Reports
  • Edward Erwin Descendant Report (Ancestor of Sheila Spear)
  • Francis Stuart Descendant Report (Ancestor of Sheila Spear)
  • James Crawford Descendant Report (Ancestor of Sheila Spear)
  • William Scott Descendant Report (Ancestor of Sheila Spear)
  • Jacob Clements Descendant Report (Ancestor of Sheila Spear)
  • William Campbell Descendant Report (Ancestor of Sheila Spear)
  • Timothy Hall Descendant Report (Ancestor of Sheila Spear)

Children of SHEILA SPEAR and SPURGEON MILTON KEENY:

1. Son
2. Son
3. Daughter

Education

Marriage Announcements and News

Springfield Union, February 23, 1952²⁰⁴¹

Miss Sheila Spear To Wed Mr. Keeny

Granddaughter of Amherst Couple Engaged

Amherst, Feb. 22—Mr. and Mrs. John A. Spear of Miss Porter's School, Farmington, Conn., announce the engagement of their daughter, Miss Sheila Spear, to Spurgeon Milton Keeny, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Spurgeon Keeny of New York City and Bangkok, Thailand. Mr. Keeny, Sr., is director for Asia of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund.

Miss Spear, granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Edward L. Spear of Amherst, prepared for college at Miss Beard's School, Orange, New Jersey. She was graduated from Mt. Holyoke College in 1949 and received her master of arts degree from Middlebury College following a year of study at the University of Paris.

Mr. Keeny prepared for college at the Horace Mann School for Boys. He was graduated from Columbia College in 1944 and received his master of arts degree from Columbia University where he also studied at the Russian Institute and at the School of International Affairs. Mr. Keeny served as first lieutenant in the U. S. Air Force and is at present employed by the Department of the Air Force.

Following an April wedding the couple will live in Washington, D. C.

New York Times, May 4, 1952²⁰⁴²

SHEILA SPEAR WED TO S. M. KEENY JR.

First Church in Farmington Is Scene of Their Marriage—Reception Held in Home

Special to THE NEW YORK TIMES.

FARMINGTON, Conn., May 3—The Marriage of Miss Sheila Spear, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Ashcroft Spear, to Spurgeon Milton Keeny Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Keeny of Bangkok, Thailand, formerly of New York, took place here this afternoon in the First Church of Christ, Congregational. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Harold King and was followed by a reception in the Spear home.

The bride was escorted by her father, who is a member of the faculty of Miss Porter's School here. She wore a ballerina-length gown of white Chantilly lace, over ivory taffetta, fashioned with a fitted bodice with cap sleeves.

The Misses Jean Chisholm Eels of Cleveland and Katharine Colvin of Washington, D. C., attended the bride. Dr. Robert Jastrow was best man. The ushers were John Ashcroft Spear Jr., a brother of the bride; Arnold Kramish, Karl Wagner and James Ellicott Hewes Jr.

Mrs. Keeny, an alumna of the Beard School, class of '45, received a Bachelor's degree in 1949 from Mount Holyoke College, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She also attended the University of Paris while working for a Master's degree, which she received from Middlebury College.

The bridegroom was graduated from the Horace Mann School and Columbia College and received a Master's degree in physics from Columbia University. He also attended the School of International Affairs and the Russian Institute at Columbia. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Mr. Keeny is a civilian employee of Headquarters Staff, United States Air Force, in Washington.

Obituaries

Washington Post, September 15, 2011³⁸²³

SHEILA SPEAR KEENY (Age 84)

Of Washington, DC, died peacefully at home on Saturday September 10, 2011 from recurrence of breast cancer. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Spurgeon M. Keeny Jr., and her children, Christopher Keeny, Virginia Keeny, Spurgeon (Sam) Keeny III; four grandchildren and her brother, John Spear. She received a BA from Mount Holyoke College (Junior Phi Beta Kappa) and an MA from Middlebury College/The Sorbonne. She initially worked for the CIA and later for the Urban Institute. She devoted many years to volunteer work with the DC League of Women Voters including past president and to the United Nations Association/National Capital Area including DC vice chairman and membership on the Board. In addition to participating in many of her husband's activities as a government official and subsequently as a non-government advocate for nuclear arms control, her many interests included long term participation in an informal group that met regularly to enjoy French language and culture. A memorial service will be held in DC at a location and time to be determined. Interment will be in Greensboro, Vermont where she spent many happy summers with her family.

Census Records

Date	Location	Enumerated Names
April 8, 1930226	East Orange, Essex, New Jersey	Christy Virginia McDonald John Ashcroft Spear Sheila Spear Hannah Christy Bell Betty Anne McDonald
April 10, 19402759	East Orange, Essex, New Jersey	Christy Virginia McDonald John Ashcroft Spear Sheila Spear Son Hannah Christy Bell