Obituary
Mary Lofts Keller of Ormond Beach, Florida passed away on May 29, 2019. Mary was born in 1933 in Manchester, England to Frank Norman and Lily (née O’Mahony) Lofts. After boarding school at Loreto College in North Wales, Mary went to Manchester Royal Infirmary to study nursing and midwifery. She first traveled to Madrid, Spain at age 15, in 1948, with a friend from school. In 1960, she returned to Madrid to work at the British American Hospital where she met her future husband, Howard. After their 1964 wedding, they lived in Spain and then travelled the world with the U.S. Foreign Service, living in the USA, Ecuador, Tunisia, Pakistan and Yemen. Mary had two daughters, Jennifer and Janine, and she continued working as a nurse for the U.S. Embassy and the Peace Corps. Mary made life-long friends in each of the countries she lived. During their time abroad, she travelled extensively throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East. After retiring, Howard and Mary moved to Florida for the hot weather. Mary was also well known for her love of her grandchildren, bridge, swimming and her admiration of Sir Winston Churchill. Mary is predeceased by her husband, Howard B. Keller, her parents, Norman & Lily Lofts, brother David and sister Catharine (Kate) Harari. Mary is survived by daughters Jennifer and Janine, and grandchildren Isabelle & Ben Jackson and Ava & Leo Keller-Brude, niece Karen (née Brownhill) Niblett and family as well as her dear friend Sheila Howley, her “guardian angel.” A memorial service will be held later this summer at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, donations in Mary’s name may be made to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Volusia County.
Forever in our thoughts,
Margaret & Ralph