Bonnie Marie Keays

Bonnie Marie Keays, known affectionately as Marie, embarked peacefully upon her final journey on January 31st, 2025, surrounded by her family that she treasured above all else. She leaves behind a legacy of kindness, gentleness, and unconditional love; an unforgettable impression on everyone who had the privilege to know her.

Marie is survived by her loving husband Robert, their three daughters Patti Corbin (Jack), Christine Barker (David), and Rene McGuire (Rick), and four granddaughters Jenna Barker (Robert Brisbin), Jessica Corbin (Kyle McMahon), Erika Taylor (Corey), and Justine Taylor(Ryan DeSantis), whom she loved “to the moon and back.”  She is also survived by her beloved sisters and brother, Madlyn Sanders, Patricia Harrington and Billy Cenate (Leigh). She was preceded in her journey by her mother, father, and brothers, Marvin McCabe, John, Joseph and Michael Cenate, whose memories she carried like precious keepsakes.

Marie was born on September 5th, 1942, in Fair Haven, Vermont, to the late Joseph and Mary Mae Cenate, whom she adored. She spent the early part of her childhood running and playing on her family’s farm in Bacon Hill with her brothers and sisters, before moving to Hudson Falls, New York where she attended Hudson Falls High School and more importantly, the weekly Durkeetown Barn dances, her favorite hangout.

Marie enjoyed 30 years at NAMIC/Boston Scientific, where she made long-lasting friendships and was valued for her kind nature and devoted work ethic, even returning part-time after her retirement. However, her biggest passion and pride in life was her family, and her favorite job was being “Mama.”

At the age of 13, she met her soulmate, Robert Keays, who unsurprisingly fell in love with her at first sight. They married on September 11th, 1960 and spent 70 years together completely inseparable; their lives a dance of mutual respect, devotion and unwavering support. Together, they built a family that fulfilled their shared dream, and a home where warmth and affection were abundant.

At Mama’s house, the door was always open, and everyone was welcome. Her dining room table was a place where her family and friends could always find her to catch up, share stories, and most likely, be fed. She found joy in family gatherings and celebrations, preparing meals, tending to her garden (especially cucumbers), and the simple pleasures of watching her favorite soaps, knitting, or watching the birds. She shared a love for music with her husband, filling their home with melodies that played in the background of Marie’s life.

The unbreakable bonds she cultivated with her daughters and granddaughters provided a forever home throughout all seasons of their lives, never straying too far for too long from their loving Mama, a title that embodied the depth of her nurturing soul.

She had an adventurous spirit, traveling to places such as Hampton Beach, Martha’s Vineyard, Ocean City, MD, Boston, Ithaca, and many other places where memories with loved ones were made.

To know Marie was to know love in its purest form. She was the most loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. Her ability to make each person in her life feel special and shine a light on their best selves set her apart as a beacon of comfort and warmth. She treated everyone in her life like a unique flower, nurtured endlessly by her gentle care, and all left here on Earth to keep her beautiful memory alive and carry on her legacy.

Let her life be a reminder that every day is an opportunity to dance, to laugh, to embrace our loved ones, and to find beauty in the simplest of things. In her honor, may we all strive to be the most loving version of ourselves, to create a legacy as rich and as meaningful as the one she leaves behind.

At Marie’s request, there will be no calling hours. A celebration of life will be held in the spring, when the lilacs are blooming.