Vicki Keeran Obituary

Dear Family,
I am writing to thank you all very much for inviting me to be a part of Vicki's life celebration. I feel I may have missed an opportunity to share with everyone how special an experience it was for me; to hear the wonderful stories of Vicki before I knew her and to share my own. It was an honor to massage Vicki, to share pizza/scrabble nights w/Rick, Judi, and Chris, to watch her love and live, but most of all, to learn from her strong, independent presence. You all shared your love of her determination and sense of humor. I will always carry that example with me too. Karen told me once that everyone comes into our lives for a reason. I can't help but feel the serendipitous meeting of Chris and being welcomed into this family with open arms is part of this larger life lesson: that we can overcome any obstacle, keep on keeping on, and do so with a strong, spit and vinegar spirit, and a great sense of humor. What a tremedous gift! Vicki and I shared a past of side effects from medications, of chronic fatigue, but also of living. I was able to talk to Vicki about these issues without fear of judgment. When I was younger, I was very depressed and thought I had no reason to go on living, but then here came into my life a woman who fought with strength and courage to hold onto life for longer than anyone expected and a newphew to love me and respect me as I am--imperfect, but beautiful--as we all are. It is not my intention to revisit the pain of her passing, but only to share what I couldn't articulate at the time-complete AWE and gratitude for the unexpected gift of meeting Chris, Vicki, and you all-a second family. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope soon I will get a chance to return the favor and will be thinking of Vicki often too. I know our grief has been sneaking up on us at unexpected moments, but in this you are not alone. It's hard not to when you think of that smile.

Vicki,

I sit here in shock, I have heard from Jonnel, Doug, and Ken today via email. I met you so young, we were family. The times at 7/11 can never be erased from my memory. The best times of my life. All the skinny dipping and traveling we did are locked in my brain. From you we got Karen who will carry on the Keeran torch.

I know how you suffered and we grew apart, but you were always in my thoughts. I tend to reflect on my past too much. I never could figure out why it was you that was struck down.

I hope you get on better now.

With many years of love and feelings.

Peter Cannon

Well, it's been more than a year now, and I still miss Vicki at random times. Easter for instance. Neither of us did the church thing so we'd run to Fred Meyer on Saturday and try to find something fun for the kids, kites, hula hoops, sidewalk chalk, plastic eggs and candy. We'd both get crap from our spouses for spending too much. And we enjoyed the toys probably more than our kids did.

Vicki I will never forget the many wonderful times I had with you growing up. The times we spent were always great. I remember when I first moved up to Seattle in 2001 and I got to stay with you for a week while Gpa and Mary were in Antarctica. It seems like all we did was order pizzas and watch movies(which my mom would never let me do)very cool. I remember you letting Jenn and I barrow your car when you were at work so we could go to the store or costco, how great it was that we always had awesome parking. How you drove always amazed all of us(and scared us at the same time). Or when I moved back in 2007 and for the first month always hanging out with you in Queen Anne, getting coffee, going for walks, playing scrabble( which you always rocked at) and of course ... eating pizza! Then later on after I met Dana and she would give you a massage, and then Rick and Judy would come over and we'd play scrabble, which seemed only slightly unfair seeing as how the three of you, would just whip Dana and I so bad. Still it was always fun. Dana loved the times just the two of you spent, she would come home to me with a giant smile.
Then there were of course the pets. Knowing how much you've always loved pets, I understand why they always stuck around as long as they did, having you watch our cat Raja for a couple of weeks while we were down in Ashland was just the natural choice. Coming back to get her proved to difficult as Raja would not have any of it, so she stayed. It worked out perfectly.
Lastly my greatest memories are of our trips to the Kingdom, and Safeco to watch the Mariners play baseball. Sure there were many times we went as a family, I'll never forget my first M's game were we got to meet the likes of Griffy Jr. and Sr., Jay Buhner, and of course Edgar Martinez. But there are couple that will always stand out. Going to watch the M's play the Angels at the Dome, sitting in the nose bleed seats, you and I watching everything intensly, while you kept score( which I always loved by the way). The Mariners beat them bad 16-2, and then after walking to the car, getting Edgar Martinez autograph. That memory will never leave me. The other game that will never leave is Mother's Day 2007. The M's took on the Yankees, we had those great upper level seats, that were handicap accessible so no one was in front of us. They won that game too. Afterwards as we left, we were walking down the concourse, and your feet just kept going and down you went right in front of couple cops. We all rushed in to help you up, they thought you were drunk! We helped you up and you were just cracking up! Good times for sure, always.
Vicki you were the best aunt in the entire world to me, and I love you so much. Wherever you are, Dave Niehaus and you are smiling and laughing and talking about the Seattle Mariners, Happy as could be.

Growing up as Karen's close friend, I always wished I could be Vicki Keeran. She was the perfect person...she wore a perpetual and contagious smile, she was the cheerleader and homecoming princess we all wanted to be, and EVERYONE loved her. Above all, she always so sweetly made me feel like a sister, too. It was my greatest joy during our early teens when Vicki would let Karen and me tag along--whether it was dune-buggying at Rosarita Beach in Mexico, or hanging out on the beach with the lifeguards in San Clemente, CA! She was my idol. Although I haven't seen her for decades, the memory of her charismatic personality is so strong that it influences my life in a very positive way even today,and she remains my inspiration and role model in a far greater sense. I cannot fathom why she had to face the challenges she did. I only think that maybe sometimes only the very most exceptional people are oddly singled out for such things because they have the ability to influence the rest of us so powerfully. She certainly did.

The love of Vicki's family, and especially my dear friend Karen's strength and commitment to her sister over the years, are moving beyond words.

Love,
Linda

I met Vicki sitting on really awful metal bleachers in that awful indoor pool humid air watching our daughters learn to swim. She was charismatic, I wanted to know who this woman was who had some physical thing going on yet chased Brian around and was funny and outgoing and happy.
She made me stop for animals and people who needed help. She made me take the weirdest damn back ways to get around Seattle. She always made me laugh. She made me hug her and always say goodbye even if I had to wake her up. She taught me that you can order champagne in a bar. She asked the most awkward questions in a way that I answered them. Oh my, I miss you Vicki.

Vicki was my housemate in Chico, CA for 4 years. She was so fun and easy to get along with. High points: Being in the Spring Coalition and winning (she became the queen of the CSUC Student Union)...The Butte Environmental Council Newspaper drive on Saturday mornings in Vicki's van... Also, she made a killer onion pie and the infamous brownie ice cream sandwiches. At Henshaw she convinced us to have chickens and a scary rooster! She was my only (very beautiful) bridesmaid, and one of only a handful of friends who crossed Kachemak Bay and visited Bruce and I in Sadie Cove, Alaska. We called each other on our birthdays... Now that she's gone I regret not spending more time with her! But I cherish the memories of the good times we had and I'll miss her.

Vicki became my sister when I was in my early teens. I learned a lot about how to be strong from her. She was the bravest person I ever knew
I'm going to miss the great sense of humor, the mischevious smile after a good one liner.
She left me with a great example of how to face adversity and to never ever let it win. She was and is one the heroes in my life.
I get confort from thinking of Vicki running on the beach and enjoying the freedom of movement that she was robbed of so many years ago. I shared a very special moment with Vicki just before she died. She gathered up enough strength to tell me that she loved me. I will always cherish that moment, even now it makes me smile.