Obituary of Diane Mckeen
Diane McKeen (Urquhart), age 80, died peacefully on November 23, 2022. Diane was the daughter of the late Nellie (MacLeod) and Neil Urquhart, and the wife and dance partner of Gordon McKeen.
She will be forever treasured by her daughter, Rachael (Swift) Tabor (Brian); and son, Alex Swift (Elena). Diane was born in Kirkland Lake, ON, and spent her young life in South Bar and Sydney, Cape Breton. Her ties to her Cape Breton family and friends remained forever strong. Diane was predeceased by her brother, Donald, whose memory she kept alive.
Diane worked as an administrative secretary for the Dartmouth School Board and until retirement, was the much-loved secretary at her grandchildren’s elementary school. She was a devoted member of Stairs’ UCW and she held dear her long-time friendships with the ladies of the Ruth Stuart unit. Diane and Gordon brought two families together when they married on April 2, 1994. Gordon built the home of mom’s dreams and they welcomed all who entered with a big hug and a cup of tea.
Mom loved nothing more than a visit or a phone call and she had an extraordinary gift for getting people together and being the “hostess with the mostess”. Mom had a wanderlust and in her later years, fulfilled her strong desire to follow her Urquhart and MacLeod roots to Scotland and the Isle of Skye.
She is survived by her husband of 28 years, Gordon McKeen; her daughter, Rachael (Swift) Tabor (Brian); son, Alex Swift (Elena); and brother, Barry (Barbara); and nephews, Matthew (Josh) and Kenzie (Charlotte) Urquhart; niece, Ellen Urquhart and their families. Also loved by mom were Gordon’s sons and their families, Dan (Cynthia), Scott (Chris), Joe (Anne). She was adored as “Nammie” by her grandchildren, Donald (Lauren) and Stuart (Laura) Tabor, Clara, Andrew, Laura and Robbie Swift, Ashleigh and Samantha McKeen, Emma and Lachlan McKeen and Dylan and Sarah McKeen.
Heartfelt thanks are extended to the exceptional nursing and physician staff of Dartmouth General Hospital who allowed us quality time with our mom in her final days and to the many family members, friends and neighbors who have reached out to us.
Funeral Service will be held in Stairs Memorial United Church, 44 Hester St., in Dartmouth on December 2, 2022 at 2:00 pm. Reception to follow. To honour Diane's life long love of cats, and in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hope for Wildlife, Bide Awhile animal shelter or a local SPCA. Arrangements have been entrusted to Serenity Funeral Home, 34 Coldbrook Village Park Dr., Coldbrook, NS, B4R 1B9 (902-679-2822).
