Barbara Keeping McKinley

Age 81, of Boston passed away with her family by her side on Thursday, March 7, 2019. Barbara was born to Alice and Simeon Keeping in 1938 in Waltham, MA. She graduated from Watertown High School and received a BA from the University of Massachusetts. She worked as a grant writer and clinical administrator at Boston University School of Medicine until she retired. She married the late Edward James McKinley in 1969, and they lived together in the Audubon Circle area of Boston for close to fifty years. Barbara was predeceased by her husband in 2017. She is survived by her only daughter, Heather McKinley of Boston. She also leaves behind an extended family of cousins, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, stepdaughters, grandchildren, and great grandchildren all of whom she loved very much.  

Barbara was a voracious reader and consumed several books a week. She liked staying up late and sleeping in. She loved her morning routine of coffee, the Boston Globe and a Lucky Strike. She read the newspaper from cover-to-cover every day, and finished every crossword puzzle in ink. And anyone who knew her, knew better than to call or stop by when the Patriots were playing. She was also highly skilled with knitting needles and spent a lot of her time making hats and scarves for local homeless and women’s shelters. Barbara was always an active volunteer, especially in her community which was very near and dear to her heart. She was a longtime member of the Audubon Circle Neighborhood Association and the Fenway Community Development Corporation and served on many community boards throughout her life. Barbara was fiercely independent and immensely proud of her family, and leaves behind a lot of beautiful memories. She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts. 

A private celebration of her life will be held with the family. In lieu of flowers, do a loving act of kindness. Make someone laugh, send a note, give a hug, or say “I love you” to someone special in her memory. Or if that’s not your thing, memorial donations can be made to Rosie’s Place in her name http://www.rosiesplace.org/give 

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