- Date Of Birth: October 2, 1952
- Date Of Death: August 18, 2022
- State: Utah
Ellen Coolbear Keene passed away peacefully and unexpectedly in her Ogden, Utah home on August 18, 2022. She was 69.
She was born October 2, 1952, in Ogden, Utah to Dallas B. Coolbear and Lucille Platt Wilson.
Ellen graduated from Ben Lomond High School in 1970. On August 5, 1970, she married the love of her life, David. Through this love they raised four daughters.
While her girls were young, as she volunteered in the library at Lynn Elementary School, she discovered how much she enjoyed sharing her love of reading with children. She wanted to broaden her understanding of the library and her teaching skills so that she could share even more with the children, so she embarked on a journey of obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Education. She did this over a period of many years, still working with the children and taking care of her family, and she graduated in 1996. She continued to touch the lives of countless children at Lynn Elementary until her retirement. She had a great passion for reading and loved to share it with her family and students every day, introducing them to new adventures through books, stories, and knowledge.
She dedicated the later portion of her life to ministering and sharing the word of God. After retirement, she became a commissioned Lay Pastor in the Presbyterian Church and faithfully served the members at Trinity Presbyterian in Ogden and beyond. At times she would volunteer to prepare and present sermons for congregations as far away as Idaho and Southern Utah. She performed marriage ceremonies for a daughter, a grandson, and a close friend. She enjoyed being involved in the church women’s groups and singing in the choir.
Ellen was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who treasured her family with all her heart. She showed that love to them through her many acts of kindness. Mom had a great love for reading, crafts, and sewing. With her incredible sewing skills, she made easter dresses for each of her girls, and as they grew, those dresses mystically became beautiful prom dresses. Each of her girls received a hand-made custom wedding dress. She also made wedding dresses for her granddaughters and nieces. She loved to decorate cakes and taught us how to make several cakes for friends and family. Her creativity made many dreams come alive. She was always willing to teach these skills to anyone who asked. As her family, we were never found lacking, thanks to her many creative talents.
She lived a good life and just celebrated being married for 52 years, each year filled with the love of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
She is survived by her ever-loving husband, David A. Keene, and her children, Dayleen (Michael) Smith, Kristie Day, Alisha (Ray) Peterson, and Samantha (Josh) Higgins. Fifteen grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, her siblings Cherie Coolbear, Fred Dallas (Vivian) Coolbear, and Michele L (Arthur) Wilson-Shupe. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dallas B. Coolbear and Lucille Platt Wilson, and her sister, Jill M Wilson-Todd.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Myers Mortuary for their tender guidance, the women’s group at Trinity Presbyterian for their compassionate service, and countless friends who have surrounded and loved us through this most difficult time.
