Nurse, loving grandmother, longtime resident
Jane Keiran. (Courtesy photo)
Jane E. (Perkins) Keiran, 78, of Harvard passed away peacefully at home Oct. 9, surrounded by her family, after a courageous three-year battle with pancreatic cancer. She is survived by her four children, Linda Harrod of Groton, Lori Thissell (George) of Hopkinton, Leslie Baldi (Tom) of Upton, and Bill Keiran (Erin) of Harvard; and her five grandchildren, George and Julia Thissell, Christopher Harrod, and Patrick and Sadie Keiran. She is also survived by her siblings, Sarah (Perkins) Small and Edward H. Perkins, and many nieces and nephews.
Jane was born Feb. 24, 1939, in Arlington, the daughter of Sarah Marion (Hubbard) Perkins and Edward W. Perkins. Raised in Weston, she graduated from Weston High School and received a nursing degree from Faulkner Hospital School of Nursing, Class of 1960. She worked as an operating room nurse at the Faulkner and met the one love of her life, William E. Keiran, to whom she was married for 34 years until his death in 1996. When her children were grown, she returned to the nursing profession as a home-care nurse working with patients disabled by multiple sclerosis and quadriplegia. She and Bill moved to Harvard, where she lived for 42 years, raising a family and embracing all that the tightknit, small community had to offer. Her grandchildren were everything to her and she thoroughly enjoyed immersing herself in all aspects of their lives, caring for them as babies, cheering them on at sporting events, and taking such pride in all of their accomplishments.
After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early 2015, Jane fought her disease with a will and determination that was inspiring to all who witnessed it. Her undying faith and true Yankee spirit helped her persevere for three years, defying all odds. The family would like to thank Dr. Janet Murphy of the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and the staff at the Naka Infusion Center at Emerson Hospital for their unending care and compassion.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 13, at St. Theresa, The Little Flower Church, 15 Still River Road, Harvard. Visiting hours are Thursday, Oct. 12, 4 to 7 p.m., Badger Funeral Home, 347 King St., Littleton. To share a memory or offer a condolence, visit www.badgerfuneral.com. Interment will be in Bellevue Cemetery, Harvard.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, 125 Nashua St., Suite 540, Boston, MA 02114-1101
