Obituary for Eileen Keating
Eileen Johnson Keating, 84, of Plymouth, Massachusetts died on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 at home surrounded by her husband and three children following a long illness.
Eileen was born in Utica, New York on August 10, 1935, daughter of the late Charles C. and
Inger B. Johnson.
With her family, Eileen moved extensively in her earlier years before she headed off to college.
She obtained her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College and began a career as an
English teacher. She later pursued her graduate degree from the University of New Hampshire
while raising a family with her first husband in Ipswich. It is during this time that she made a
professional shift to the more individualized approach of guidance counseling. Her drive for
intellectual stimulation eventually brought her to the Mensa meeting where she met her
husband Joe. After a couple of years in Scituate, they bought a home on Island Pond in
Plymouth, where they spent over two decades. Their love of Plymouth brought them to Pine
Hills about 5 years ago.
After retirement from her second career as a public school guidance counselor, Eileen
continued her life-long learning process, pursuing her love of psychoanalysis. In 2000, she
received a Certificate from the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis in Brookline.
Eileen was an outdoor enthusiast, no matter the season. She loved to be on the water whether
it be kayaking or sailing on Ipswich Bay, Island Pond or at her cherished cabin on Morgan Bay in
Maine. She found great joy in hikes and nature walks with her family, especially if it was
combined with collecting berries. You could often find this accomplished skier on the slopes or
back country in New Hampshire or closer to home in Massachusetts. In addition, Eileen was a
lover of the visual arts, creating beautiful pieces with paint or film.
Throughout her illness, Eileen was supported by a dedicated team of caregivers whom she
adored. Because of them, she was able to continue to pursue her interests and remain active.
In addition to her parents, she is predeceased by her granddaughter, Kiersten B. Hylan. She is
survived by her husband of 35 years, Joseph F. Keating of Plymouth, her brother, Henry P.
Johnson of Chevy Chase, Maryland, her children, Lise I. Knakkergaard of North Andover, Thora
K. Burkhardt and husband Doug of Arnold, Maryland, Lars C. Knakkergaard and partner Meiping
Tso of Jamaica Plain & Brookline, stepsons Reidar M. Keating and wife Mary of Lansing,
Michigan and Jeffrey Keating, as well as her beloved grandchildren Erik, Aren & Mia Hylan,
Nathan & Leah Burkhardt, Eleanor & Lillian Keating and Joseph T. Keating.
A memorial service will be planned for a later date.
Memorial contributions in her name may be made to Boston Graduate School of
Psychoanalysis, www.bgsp.edu, Blue Hill Heritage Trust, www.bluehillheritagetrust.org
Obituary lovingly written by the family Eileen Keating
Eileen was born in Utica, New York on August 10, 1935, daughter of the late Charles C. and
Inger B. Johnson.
With her family, Eileen moved extensively in her earlier years before she headed off to college.
She obtained her undergraduate degree from Wellesley College and began a career as an
English teacher. She later pursued her graduate degree from the University of New Hampshire
while raising a family with her first husband in Ipswich. It is during this time that she made a
professional shift to the more individualized approach of guidance counseling. Her drive for
intellectual stimulation eventually brought her to the Mensa meeting where she met her
husband Joe. After a couple of years in Scituate, they bought a home on Island Pond in
Plymouth, where they spent over two decades. Their love of Plymouth brought them to Pine
Hills about 5 years ago.
After retirement from her second career as a public school guidance counselor, Eileen
continued her life-long learning process, pursuing her love of psychoanalysis. In 2000, she
received a Certificate from the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis in Brookline.
Eileen was an outdoor enthusiast, no matter the season. She loved to be on the water whether
it be kayaking or sailing on Ipswich Bay, Island Pond or at her cherished cabin on Morgan Bay in
Maine. She found great joy in hikes and nature walks with her family, especially if it was
combined with collecting berries. You could often find this accomplished skier on the slopes or
back country in New Hampshire or closer to home in Massachusetts. In addition, Eileen was a
lover of the visual arts, creating beautiful pieces with paint or film.
Throughout her illness, Eileen was supported by a dedicated team of caregivers whom she
adored. Because of them, she was able to continue to pursue her interests and remain active.
In addition to her parents, she is predeceased by her granddaughter, Kiersten B. Hylan. She is
survived by her husband of 35 years, Joseph F. Keating of Plymouth, her brother, Henry P.
Johnson of Chevy Chase, Maryland, her children, Lise I. Knakkergaard of North Andover, Thora
K. Burkhardt and husband Doug of Arnold, Maryland, Lars C. Knakkergaard and partner Meiping
Tso of Jamaica Plain & Brookline, stepsons Reidar M. Keating and wife Mary of Lansing,
Michigan and Jeffrey Keating, as well as her beloved grandchildren Erik, Aren & Mia Hylan,
Nathan & Leah Burkhardt, Eleanor & Lillian Keating and Joseph T. Keating.
A memorial service will be planned for a later date.
Memorial contributions in her name may be made to Boston Graduate School of
Psychoanalysis, www.bgsp.edu, Blue Hill Heritage Trust, www.bluehillheritagetrust.org
Obituary lovingly written by the family Eileen Keating