Troy - Rita E. Keenan passed away peacefully with her family by her side at Eddy Memorial Geriatric Center on Thursday, April 20, 2017. Born June 2, 1927 in Syracuse, she was the daughter of the late John M. Peiffer and Irene Sloan Peiffer.

Rita and her beloved late husband, Bill Keenan, were married at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Syracuse on September 25, 1948. They enjoyed many happy years together along with their much-loved, large family.

Rita graduated from the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corp Program at the College of St. Rose in 1947. She worked at Samaritan Hospital as a Registered Nurse for over 40 years, mostly in the Ob/Gyn Department, retiring in 1989.

Rita is survived by her beloved daughters, Cathy (Mike) Collins of Cohoes, Janet (late Frank) Fronhofer of Salem, Mary Ellen (Chris) Fazioli, of Poestenkill, Patty (Bill) Cranney, of Rotterdam, and Nora (Tom) Maycock, of Albany; her cherished grandchildren, Michael (Michelle) Collins, Jr., Frank (Laurie) Fronhofer, Sarah (Rich) Kim, Lisa (Charlie) Oswald, Chris (Susi) Fronhofer, David (Michele) Fazioli, Tim (Stacy) Fazioli, Chris Fazioli, Amanda Cranney, Molly and Zachary Maycock; her cherished great-grandchildren, Mia DeVito Zetena, Gianna Collins, Luke and Scout Fronhofer, Maya, Marley and Meadow Kim, Thomas and Jeffrey Oswald, Riley and Ashlyn Fazioli, Danielle, Andrew and Dillon Fazioli, her brother-in-law, Thomas F. “Gus” Keenan III, of Troy and many nieces and nephews.

Rita was predeceased by her beloved husband, Bill Keenan, grandson, Matthew C. Collins, her sister, Janet Peiffer Kennedy, her brothers, John M. Peiffer, Jr. and Robert Peiffer, her brother-in-law, Robert Kennedy, her sisters-in-law, Imogene Riley Peiffer, Alice Jaqelle Peiffer, Milly Peiffer and Jane Walkinshaw Keenan.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Eddy Memorial Geriatric Center for their kind, loving and compassionate care of Mom over these past several years. We are forever grateful. We know Mom’s sweet smile and sunny disposition will be missed by all at the Eddy.

The funeral will be Friday, April 28, at 9:15 a.m. from Parker Bros. Memorial, 2013 Broadway, Watervliet, 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Latham where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Interment will follow in St. Agnes Cemetery, Menands. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the funeral home on Thursday, April 27 from 4-7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Resident Project Fund for the Eddy Memorial Geriatric Center, 2256 Burdett Avenue, Troy, NY 12180 or to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Development Office, 385 Watervliet Shaker Road, Latham, NY 12210.

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