Shirley Keen-Grasmick, 89, of Riverton passed away on Friday, December 2, 2022, at the Help for Health Hospice Home. Cremation has taken place and her ashes will be buried with her first husband, Walter Keen in Anthony, Florida.
Shirley Audrey Watson was born on March 21, 1933 in Cotton Plant, Florida to Emmett Lee and Maude (Strickland) Watson. She was raised in Ocala, Florida with her three sisters and one brother. She played high school basketball and was voted most athletic; she was also elected as the Carnival Queen at the County Fair. She graduated form Ocala High School with the class of 1951. Shortly after graduation, Shirley moved to Oklahoma.
In Nahunta, GA on February 20, 1953 Shirley married Walter Baker Keen, Jr. She later booked passage on the Andrea Doria and crossed to the Strait of Gibraltar where Walt was stationed at Nouasseur Air Base near Casablanca in Morocco. They had their first child, Walter Lee Keen, in Morocco on April 7, 1954. They then moved to El Paso, Texas in June of 1956, their second son, James Curtis Keen, was born there on July 31, 1956. Their next move was to Spokane, Washington in 1959 where their daughter, Kelly Su-Anne Keen, was born on May 10, 1965. In June of 1965 they moved to LaMonte, MO where Walter retired from the military. The family then relocated to Anthony FL. till 1970. Then in 1972 the family finally settled in Riverton, Wyoming and remained there. In 1979, Walter passed away.
On December 31, 1982, Shirley married her second husband, Eugene “Gene” Grasmick in Riverton, Wyoming. They spent over 38 years together until Gene passed in 2020. Shirley retired from the Wyoming Training School (The Wyoming Resource Center) and then worked part-time at the Riverton Senior Citizens Center. During retirement, Shirley and Gene were able to enjoy traveling to many wonderful places that included Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Alaska, Belize, Canada, Mexican Rivera, Cabo San Lucas, and Cancun. Obviously, Shirley loved to travel, but in her spare time she enjoyed reading with some of her favorite authors being Danielle Steele and Nicholas Sparks. Some of her favorite things were flamingos, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Some of her favorite things to do (when she wasn’t traveling) were camping in the mountains, visiting antique shops, collecting sea shells, and spending time with her family. She enjoyed watching basketball and football and her favorite players were Peyton Manning and Patrick Mahone. Shirley was also an active member of the Methodist faith and was involved with the United Methodist Women’s Group in Riverton, Wyoming.
She is survived by her sons, Walter “Lee” Keen, and his wife, Debbie, and James “Jim” Curtis Keen and his wife, Kim Keen; daughter, Kelly Su-Anne Foster and her husband, Larry Foster, Jr.; brother, Norman Watson; step-daughter, Vicki Davis; eleven grandchildren, Shawna Faul, Jason Keen, Brek Gripon, Colton Keen, Derek Keen, Jordyn Gripon, Steven Keen, Ashley Grantham, Alisa Foster, Matt Foster, and Marc Foster; twenty-five great grandchildren; and numerous great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Emmett and Maude Watson; sister, Velma Lewis, Zelma Nikkari, and Omera Brydon; husbands, Walter “Walt” Keen, Jr. and Eugene “Gene” Grasmick; two step-daughters, Cindy Knight and Sandra Johnson; and two step-sons, Randy Grasmick and Byron Grasmick.
She will be missed by her family and all that knew her. May she forever rest in peace.
Shirley is now “home” for Christmas.
Online condolences may be made at TheDavisFuneralHome.com