Enjoyed traveling on European river cruises

Published January 30, 2019

LYNNFIELD — Sylvia Gail Keddy, 69, of Lynnfield passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019 at her residence.

Born in Winchester on May 1, 1949, she was the daughter of the late Reginald and Sylvia (Fox) Atkinson.

Gail was raised in Peabody and was a graduate of Peabody High School, Class of 1967 and also attended North Shore Community College. She had worked as an administrative assistant at the Jordan Marsh Company in Burlington before leaving to raise her children. Gail later returned to work for the Lynnfield Public Schools as a teacher’s aide and retired after 20 years to help raise her grandchildren. She loved being with her family, especially her grandchildren. She enjoyed traveling, most of all embarking on European River Cruises. When Gail learned a year-and-a-half ago that she had terminal cancer, she decided to be joyful about having a full life, rather than be sad about having to die.

She was the devoted wife of Walter Keddy, with whom she spent 46 wonderful years of marriage. She was the loving mother of Jeffrey Keddy and his wife Amy of Reading; and Elizabeth Barrett and her husband Chris of Lynnfield. She was the cherished grandmother of Ella, Emmy, Evan, Kaylee and Michael. She was the sister of Cynthia Meuse of Florida and the late Lois McLernon, and the half-sister of Reggie Atkinson of North Carolina.

Her funeral service was held at St. Paul Episcopal Church, Summer St., Lynnfield, on Monday, Jan. 28. Visitation for relatives and friends was held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield on Sunday. Interment took place at Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 3 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.